Sir, – Further to Brian Gilsenan’s letter (April 12th) on the wonders of hiking and tourism in Ireland, in the absence of robust legislation such as that which obtains in the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Sweden and many other countries, there are very few declared rights of way in Ireland. There is a fair amount of what can be termed permissive access in some parts of Ireland, such as Wicklow and the peninsulas of West Cork. However, partly due to the lack of robust legislation, county councils are extremely reluctant to list rights of way.
Access to famous mountain areas such as Croagh Patrick or the Macgillycuddy Reeks is permissive and could be withdrawn. Many popular walking routes, including the Wicklow Way, which he mentions, are marred by the fact that parts of them are on dangerous country roads. In many parts of the country, in the absence of safe pathways, walkers are forced to walk on dangerous country roads. On top of this, numerous traditional rural paths have been closed or people are greeted with unwelcome “Keep Out” signs, such as exist in the Truskmore area of north Co Sligo. Trying to keep access open or create access has led to long battles. For example, the South Kerry Greenway announced in 2014 has only recently got the go-ahead after a Supreme Court case. Residents in Fenit in north Kerry have had to fight for over 15 years in their efforts to reopen a traditional path.
In Wales, there is a wealth of access to paths throughout the countryside, in the mountains and on the coast. And it’s all protected by law in such a way that farmers can carry out their work while walkers can enjoy the beautiful landscape safely. – Yours, etc,
ROBERT DOWDS,
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Chairperson,
Keep Ireland Open,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.