A local authority has been accused of lacking leadership in a heated row which could scupper plans for a major tourist walking and cycling trail along a disused railway line.

The proposed Great Southern Trail, which would run from Rathkeale in Co Limerick to Fenit in Co Kerry, is at the centre of a stand–off between farmers, walkers and CIÉ, which is adamant it owns the land. Kerry County Council has declined to apply for grants to develop the trail because it doesn’t want to get involved in what could yet be a legal battle instigated by farmers claiming squatters’ rights to the land. 

Great Southern Trail chairman Liam O’Mahony said he was disappointed the council was not showing leadership.

// Read More //

The High Court has ordered the director of a waste management company and his wife to remove a 1.6km road built from waste material without planning permission in a Special Area of Conservation. 

Mr Justice John Hedigan made the orders against Seán Doyle, a director of Oxigen Environmental Ltd, and his wife Mary Doyle, concerning a road made from waste material from one of the firm’s facilities, built on lands owned by the couple at Portree and Ballymanus, near Vicarstown, Portlaoise. 

Laois County Council sought the orders after arguing the roadway was an unauthorised development built on part of the Nore–Barrow SAC and posed a risk to the environment.

// Read More //

Walkers’ group urges Fingal council to reconsider its decision on exemption

The erection of a gate on a traditional walkers’ pathway on Howth Head is being challenged by local people.

Regular walkers in the area are angry at a decision by Fingal County Council not to take action over the matter.

Members of the Howth Pathways group have formally asked the council to reconsider its decision that the newly erected gate, 170m from Heather Cottage on East Mountain, is an exempt development.

The request under section 5 of the Planning and Development Act is the first step in a process which could see An Bord Pleanála being asked to determine whether the gate and piers in an area covered by a special area amenity order are in breach of planning laws.

// Read More //

When the boat engine dies, the silence is absolute. The water is still and clear down to the little towers of amber weed on a seabed that slopes up gently to the beach of Dorninish. Known as Beatle Island or Hippie Island, Dorninish has been both the dream island of John Lennon, who owned it until his death, and a colony for idealistic New Agers whose tepees were eventually defeated by the County Mayo winter. Now the 19–acre island, with panoramic views around Clew Bay, is up for sale for €300,000 (£240,000), complete with a fresh water well, the ruins of an old house – and its remarkable history.

// Read More //

UK children are losing contact with nature at a “dramatic” rate, and their health and education are suffering, a National Trust report says. Traffic, the lure of video screens and parental anxieties are conspiring to keep children indoors, it says. Evidence suggests the problem is worse in the UK than other parts of Europe, and may help explain poor UK rankings in childhood satisfaction surveys.

// Read More //

Mr Justice John Macmenamin also said there was "a strong case" for reforming the law concerning the existence of public rights of way and suggested reform should include "compulsory mediation" before any litigation.

Joseph Walker had claimed about 500 metres of his property at Annacrivey, Enniskerry, was not subject to a public right of way following a lengthy dispute with members of the Enniskerry Walkers' Association.

// Read More //

Gardaí accompanied the marchers and private security was also employed on some property.

// Read More //

// Read More //

// Read More //

We haven't that many places to go on Sundays in Sligo, the gardens and tearoom were lovely places to go and to bring people. It's a loss. You'd wonder was it all about stubbornness on both parts

 IT IS A month now since the High Court found on December 20th that public rights of way during daylight hours did indeed exist at the Lissadell estate in Co Sligo. Mr Justice Bryan McMahon had considered the evidence after 58 days in court, where the owners of Lissadell, Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy, claimed that Sligo County Council had wrongfully asserted rights of way over their estate

// Read More //

Rural Ireland Says Enough (Rise), set up by hunting organisations in January, has been contacted by the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipoc) which believes it needs to register as a political group involved in lobbying the government.

The 1997 Electoral Act requires any group that engages in political lobbying to register, and prohibits them from accepting single donations of more than €6,348 in a calendar year.

// Read More //

He has sharply criticised the Government's proposed new law - expected to be published next month - as "just the tip of the iceberg" of an anti field-sports agenda.

Before leaving for Cheltenham, Walsh (31) expressed his concern to The Irish Times that the ban could lead to other rural pursuits such as "fox-hunting, shooting, angling and point-to-point" racing being outlawed. "This is a bigger issue than stag-hunting and has to be stopped before it gathers momentum."

// Read More //

// Read More //

Fifty lucky winners were drawn from 32,955 entries to be inside the chamber at the winter solstice at Newgrange this year.
The winners, who are from all over the world, along with a partner, will have the chance to see the passage and chamber of the 5,000- year-old mound illuminated this year.
Children from three local schools picked this year's winners.

(c) Irish Independent 26.09.09

// Read More //

// Read More //

// Read More //

The members of Clare County Council last night voted overwhelmingly to end a long-running dispute with Doonbeg golf club by extinguishing a contentious right of way. At the council's adjourned September meeting, councillors voted 22 to three in favour of extinguishing the right of way.
The move ends the public's ability to walk across the fourth and 14th fairways at the Greg Norman-designed Doonbeg golf course to Doughmore beach.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

© Irish Times

// Read More //

// Read More //

It is, as Oscar Wilde might say, a case of the Unreasonable in hot pursuit of the Unspeakable.

Environment Minister John Gormley is threatening to achieve overnight what hasn't happened in 154 years - evoke public sympathy for the property tycoons of the Ward Union Hunt.

Instead of simply banning the anachronistic stag hunt outright, Mr Gormley has declared a war of attrition - and, the hunters say, he has sent out an army of park rangers to videotape their activities, at an eye-watering cost to the taxpayer of EUR11,000 a pop.

// Read More //

AN INTERPRETATIVE centre on Three Rock mountain and subsidised bus services for walkers are among the projects planned in a new initiative to encourage greater recreational use of the Dublin Mountains.

The Dublin Mountains Partnership, is a joint initiative between Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown and South Dublin county councils, Coillte, the Department of Environment and a recreational user group, Dublin Mountains Initiative, to be launched by Minister for Natural Resources Éamon Ryan.

New trails for walkers and cyclists, a recreational map of the area and measures to counter anti-social activities in the mountains are also planned by the group.

// Read More //