Latest news with #CliffsOfMoher
BreakingNews.ie
30-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Clare County Council pays almost €700,000 to consultants for Cliffs of Moher 2040 draft strategy
Clare County Council has paid almost €700,000 to consultants in preparing its draft Cliffs of Moher 2040 strategy. In response to a Freedom of Information request, the Council has confirmed a spend of €691,001 over the last five and a half years. Advertisement The bulk of the money, at €617,618, has been paid to Haley Sharpe Design Ltd, and the firm received €473,318 in 2020 and 2021. The draft strategy provides a blueprint for the development of visitor facilities at the Cliffs of Moher, outlining the need for a complete overhaul of the facilities. The Cliffs of Moher are the most popular visitor attraction, and last year, 1.49 million visited the attraction. A spokesman for the Council said that visitor numbers in 2024 are on a par with 2024. Advertisement The draft strategy states that 'over the past 10 years, visitor numbers have far exceeded those which the site was originally designed to cater for. This has significant negative impacts on both the quality of the visitor experience and the special qualities and environment of the site'. It adds that the restricted cliff-edge paths 'also create health and safety issues, resulting in erosion of the cliff-edge itself as visitors go beyond the designated pathways'. The draft strategy states that 'the paths beyond the visitor experience are considered to be a major safety hazard due to their proximity to the unstable cliff-edge and unpredictable weather conditions'. It states that 'visitors rarely heed the warnings in situ and try to get as close to the edge as possible for photograph opportunities'. Advertisement It further states that 'the design of the current visitor centre, retail and catering spaces does little to mitigate the impact of crowds and are under-scaled for the current needs and expectations of visitors at a world-class experience'. A Council spokesman said that the Cliffs of Moher 2040 strategy is in draft format and is available for the public to view at He said, 'There is no set date for adoption. The public and stakeholder consultation phases and the Strategic Environmental Assessment stages are complete.' Asked does the Council believe that the consultant spend has provided value for money, a council spokesman said: 'Clare County Council, supported by Fáilte Ireland, engaged consultants to prepare a strategy on its behalf." He said, 'The preparation of the strategic document was guided by an expert steering committee. He added, 'The public and stakeholder consultations informed the shaping of the draft strategy and aspects of the draft strategy are currently being implemented, including the implementation of a sustainable transport solution for the Cliffs of Moher and for north Clare, spreading tourism economic benefits across the county.'
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.
BreakingNews.ie
06-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Coroner returns verdict of accidental death after boy (12) fell off the Cliffs of Moher
A 12-year old boy lost his balance after slipping in a puddle close to the edge of the Cliffs of Moher before falling over the edge to his death, an inquest has heard. In eye-witness testimony at the Clare coroner's court into the accidental death of Zhihan Zhao at the Cliffs of Moher on July 23rd last, French tourist, Marion Tourgon described seeing Zhihan fall over the edge at around 1:45pm on the day. Advertisement Zhihan had set out on walking the Cliffs of Moher trail from Hag's Head on the Liscannor side or southern side of the Cliffs of Moher to the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre with his mother, Xianhong Huang and her friends. The two Chinese nationals had arrived in Ireland only 12 days previous on July 11th. Last year, 1:49m people visited the Cliffs of Moher making it Ireland's most popular natural attraction. In her deposition, Ms Huang said that Zhihan was walking ahead of her on the Cliffs of Moher trail and she lost sight of him. Speaking through an interpreter at the inquest in Kilrush, Co Clare, Ms Huang wiping away tears, asked: 'What exactly caused Zhihan to fall from the Cliffs?' Advertisement Clare County Coroner, Isobel O'Dea told the distraught Ms Huang that the evidence of Ms Tourgon would help answer that question. In her deposition Ms Tourgon said that she was at the edge of the Cliffs of Moher with her husband and two children at around 1:45pm. She said that they were taking a selfie when she saw a young Asian boy, who was alone, come into view. She said: 'I saw him slipping in the puddle that appears in the photo that my husband sent to the police." Advertisement Ms Tourgon said: 'His right foot slipped into the puddle with him trying to stop himself from falling with his left foot but his left foot ended up in the air.' She said: 'It was very quick - he found himself in an awkward position with his left foot in a void over the cliff and his right knee on the edge of the cliff.' Ms Tourgon said: 'His right knee eventually fell into the void over the cliff and he was trying to grasp the grass with his hands to pull himself up. He didn't shout and there was no noise.' She said that 'it is the only the few of us who saw him falling' and the Tourgons alerted the emergency services by phone. Advertisement Speaking again through an interpreter, Ms Huang asked 'did he slip?' and in reply, Inspector Helen Costello told her: 'It appears from the witness that he slipped into the void having stumbled in the puddle.' In her deposition, Ms Huang said that she started out from Nagle's car park in Liscannor to walk to the Cliffs of Moher with Zhihan and friends of hers. She said: 'My son walked very fast and was ahead of us by 50 metres' She said: 'As there was only one path I thought we would meet him along the way. When I didn't I walked to the visitor centre and I checked the visitor centre." Advertisement When she couldn't find her son here, she walked back along the path to search for her son and after not finding him, she reported him missing. She said that she last saw Zhihan at 1pm that day. She said that Zhihan was a fluent English speaker and described the clothes that Zhihan was wearing that day including black shorts, Nike Air Jordans, an LA Lakers wristband and a kid's smart-watch. Sgt Claire McGuigan said that on the day, Ms Huang was able to provide a photo of Zhihan she had taken taken earlier on the Cliffs of Moher trail. Garda Colm Collins said that he received a call that day at 2pm to attend the Cliffs of Moher after a male was seen falling off the cliff edge. He said that the Irish Coastguard had spotted a body floating in the water at the base of the Cliffs of Moher. Through the interpreter, the mother asked was the location the same spot where scenes from a Harry Potter movie were shot and Insp Costello said that they were not. Garda Collins said that a lifeboat was launched but the craft was not able to access the site where the body was spotted due to the sea conditions. Zhihan's body would not be recovered from the sea for another five days and was recovered after fisherman, Matthew O'Halloran from Corofin, Co Clare spotted a body facedown and arms extended in the water between Doolin and the Aran Islands shortly after 10am on Sunday, July 28th. Mr O'Halloran alerted the Irish coastguard at Valentia and members of the Doolin unit of the Irish coastguard retrieved Zhihan's body from the waters and brought it ashore at Doolin. Ms O'Dea said that the post mortem found that Zhihan died from multiple traumatic injuries consistent with a fall from a height. Ms O'Dea said her verdict was one of 'accidental death'. She said: 'It is clear from evidence we heard that Zhihan slipped off the Cliffs rather than any other way. His death would have been very quick - instantaneous." Ms O'Dea told Ms Huang 'I can't imagine how upsetting this is for you' and the two embraced as Ms Huang left the coroner's court in Kilrush. Ms O'Dea also extended her sympathies to Zhihan's father who was not present at the inquest. Addressing Ms Huang, Insp Costello said: 'The pain must be immeasurable for you all.' Ms Huang declined to comment on the record when approached for comment after the inquest. On August 22nd of last year, the Clare Local Development Company closed off large sections of part of the Cliffs of Moher trail and it remains closed off today due to continuing safety concerns. At the time, the Clare Local Development Company confirmed that it was taking the action following the two recent fatal accidents on the Cliffs of Moher trail. In May 2024, a young woman died after she fell from the Cliffs of Moher. She was in her early 20s and a college student from Belgium who was studying in Scotland.
Irish Times
06-06-2025
- Irish Times
Boy (12) who fell from Cliffs of Moher had ‘instantaneous' death, says coroner
A 12-year old boy lost his balance after slipping in a puddle close to the edge of the Cliffs of Moher before falling over the edge to his death, his inquest has heard. In eye-witness testimony at the Clare coroner's court, reviewing the accidental death of Zhihan Zhao at the Cliffs of Moher last July, French tourist Marion Tourgon described seeing him fall over the edge at about 1.45pm on the day. Zhihan had set out on walking the Cliffs of Moher trail with his mother, Xianhong Huang, and her friends. In her evidence, a tearful Ms Huang said Zhihan was walking ahead of her on the trail when she lost sight of him. READ MORE Ms Tourgon told the inquest she and her family were taking a selfie when she saw a young Asian boy, who was alone, come into view. She said she saw his right foot slip into a puddle and his left foot ended up in the air as he tried to stop himself from falling. 'It was very quick. He found himself in an awkward position with his left foot in a void over the cliff and his right knee on the edge of the cliff.' 'His right knee eventually fell into the void over the cliff and he was trying to grasp the grass with his hands to pull himself up. He didn't shout and there was no noise.' She said her family alerted the emergency services by phone. Speaking through an interpreter Ms Huang said her son walked 'very fast and was ahead of us by 50 metres'. 'As there was only one path I thought we would meet him along the way. When I didn't I walked to the visitor centre and I checked the visitor centre.' When she couldn't find her son there, she walked back along the path to search for him and then reported him missing. Ms Huang asked: 'What exactly caused Zhihan to fall from the Cliffs?' Clare coroner Isobel O'Dea said Ms Tourgon's evidence would help answer that question. Sgt Claire McGuigan said Ms Huang provided a photo of Zhihan she had taken taken earlier on the Cliffs of Moher trail. Garda Colm Collins said the Coastguard later spotted a body at the base of the cliffs. A lifeboat was launched but it could not access the area due to the sea conditions. Zhihan's body was recovered from the sea five days later after it was spotted by fisherman, Matthew O'Halloran from Corofin, Co Clare. The coroner said the post mortem found Zhihan died from multiple traumatic injuries consistent with a fall from a height. Ms O'Dea said her verdict was one of 'accidental death'. 'It is clear from evidence we heard that Zhihan slipped off the cliffs rather than any other way. His death would have been very quick - instantaneous.' Ms O'Dea told Ms Huang: 'I can't imagine how upsetting this is for you'. On August 22nd of last year, the Clare Local Development Company, which manages the trail, closed off large sections of the route, which remain closed off today due to continuing safety concerns. At the time, the company confirmed it was taking the action following two recent fatal accidents on the trail. In May 2024, a woman in her 20s from Belgium died after she fell from the cliffs.
