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Irish Times
21-07-2025
- Irish Times
Cliffs of Moher visitors risking their lives by breaking into closed sections of cliff-edge walk
Tourists at the Cliffs of Moher are breaking walls and climbing protective fences to access sections of a dangerous cliff-edge trail which have been closed since last August following two deaths. Large stretches of the Cliffs of Moher Walking Trail were closed when a Sport Ireland audit highlighted significant safety issues on the 19km route in Co Clare. The route, which normally attracts 400,000 visitors annually, is owned by 36 local farmers and is bisected by the Cliffs of Moher Visitors' Experience, which is owned and operated by Clare County Council. Clare Local Development Company chief executive Dóirín Graham said managing a partly closed trail with significant safety hazards was proving challenging. READ MORE 'People still climb over fences, people pull down fences and walls, so we are constantly trying to repair fences and remind people that they should not be on that section of the trail,' she said. 'Thankfully there has been no incidents so far. Because of the nature of the trail, people can walk across [private] land and access the trail at many different points. 'People might have travelled a distance to see the cliffs and don't want to listen. People can still see them, there are still good sections of the cliffs visible, through the visitors' centre, that people can see. People can still get that cliffs experience.' She said the Department of Rural and Community Development had supported the CLDC with funding to put someone in place to manage the trail on a part-time basis, 'but he can't stop people climbing over fences. There is an amount of that going on'. Since its development in 2012, the trail has been managed by CLDC under the national walks scheme, with farmers receiving a small payment for access to their land. CLDC is managing the closed and the open sections of the route, but this responsibility will transfer to the county council on September 1st. Following a review of the management plan for the trail, which was instigated before two people died in accidents there last year, it was decided that the council would take over as its management agency. The local authority has been in negotiations with farmers and Clare IFA for several months, with no agreement yet reached about the future of the grade-five difficulty walk. The council has erected barriers and warning signs where the Cliffs of Moher Experience interacts with the closed trail, but has confirmed regular incursions take place. 'There is evidence of regular breaches of the barrier on the closed section on the northern side of the trail. There are local penetrations of the trail on the southern side which are equally being monitored and managed by CLDC,' a council spokesperson said. The closed sections of the trail cannot be reopened until significant safety works are undertaken, with the southern half of the trail unlikely to be fully reopened for years. The area is a nesting ground for protected birds and is a Special Area of Conservation, meaning work can only take place during the winter months. No work can be started, however, until an agreement is reached between the council and landowners. 'Talks are progressing with the landowners and landowner representatives on the northern section of the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk with a view to spending approved ORIS [Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme] funding,' the council spokesperson said. Local farmers will shortly receive their last payment under the national walks scheme, and will not receive any further payments until an agreement is reached with the local authority. 'The landowners are very committed to keeping the Cliffs of Moher Walking Trail open,' Tom Lane of Clare IFA said. 'We are fully aware of the benefits in kind to Clare tourism and the important role it plays in the overall national tourism industry.' Despite these challenges and the bad weather, thousands of tourists walked sections of the trail last weekend, with several making their way into the closed sections. Ollie Gleeson has been running guided walks on the trail for the past five years and employs 12 people. 'It is operationally very difficult. We are able to keep going, but it is a challenge,' he said. 'This trail brought connectivity from one of Ireland's busiest tourists attractions to two local villages [Doolin and Liscannor]. The amount of money that the trail has brought to local villages has been massive. 'When it is open, it does something massive for Doolin, Liscannor, Lisdoonvarna and Ballyvaughan. The trail isn't just about the guides, it is a massive part of the local economy.' In early May last year, a Belgian medical student fell from the 700ft cliffs while she was walking with a group. More than two months later a Chinese boy, who was in Ireland with his parents, also fell to his death from the trail.
BBC News
07-02-2025
- BBC News
Cliffs of Moher to be partially closed for rest of year
A popular Irish tourist attraction, the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, are to be largely closed off to the public for the rest of the year. It comes as the walking trail along the cliffs on the west coast have been deemed unsafe. There have been several deaths on the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Trail in recent 1.5 million people visited the cliffs every year, bringing a big economic spin-off for nearby rural areas. The County Clare Local Development Company (CLDC) said it did not expect the trail to fully reopen for the 2025 tourist season. The Cliffs of Moher Coastal Trail is jointly owned by 38 farmers, with the exception of commonage and 800 metres that are owned by the the moment, CLDC manages the trail and both it and Clare County Council are negotiating with landowners to secure agreement for safety improvements on the trail. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme, Eoin Hogan from the CLDC said: "Serious construction work has to be done.""The trail is too close to the edge in certain sections, so the trail has to be moved back from the edge."We have to get landowner agreement and we have to get planning in place."He said that the best case scenario is that the north section of the trail from the centre to Doolin will remain the reality is "the southern section will not open this season," he added. Last July, a body was recovered from the sea by search and rescue teams off the coast of Doolin after a 12-year-old boy was separated from his death came less than three months after a 20-year-old visiting student reportedly lost her footing and fell to her death while walking with friends. The walking route was partially closed after a Sport Ireland inspection deemed it unsafe. Safety improvements began in August, with specific concerns raised about a 8.5 mile stretch of cliff edge walking route. According to the draft Cliffs of Moher Draft 2040 Strategy, the "long-term vision for the Cliffs of Moher Experience" is to focus "on the sustainable development of a world-class visitor attraction over the next 20 years"."The strategic aim is to enhance significantly the visitor experience within a restored and re-wilded natural landscape, create sustainable access to and within the enlarged site, and encourage managed dispersal of visitors across the area to deliver widespread economic benefits for local communities."Following an assessment, the key outcome from a survey affecting the strategy is that, "where possible, the public should be prevented from accessing the cliff-edge"."Overarching guidance was given to move the walkway back to create a no-walk zone directly along the cliff-edge."Short term measures recommended include the widening of the walkway to the north and south of the Cliffs of Moher County Council has said it is committed to implementing the objectives of the strategy.
