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Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Closure of Bray-Greystones cliff walk has ‘cost the economy €73m'
More than €73 million has been lost to the economy – equating to more than €50,000 a day – because of the continuing closure of the cliff walk between Bray and Greystones , Co Wicklow, economist Jim Power has said. Mr Power, an economic adviser to the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation and a financial commentator, estimated the loss to the economy included €21 million that would have gone to the Exchequer in taxes. The 7km cliff walk, developed in the 1840s as an access route for workers building the railway line, was, until its closure in February 2021, one of the most popular walks on Ireland's east coast. At its highest point it rises to about 100m above sea level. However, following the collapse of a section of boulder clay on the Greystones side and a rockfall further towards Bray, the walk was closed on a temporary basis. READ MORE Wicklow County Council put barriers at either end of the route and advertised an alternative walk, some of which was on the main Bray to Greystones road before climbing the head and emerging at a landmark cross overlooking Bray seafront. However, as time passed and the cliff walk remained closed, local traders expressed concern at the lack of business. 'The closure hit us immediately. I would say we were first in the firing line, and then it hit everyone else,' said Nigel Spendlove, who runs a coffee shop at Greystones harbour. Nigel Spendlove at Spendlove's coffee shop in Greystones. Photograph: Tim O'Brien Claire Cullen, who runs The Fat Fox cafe and cake shop on Trafalgar Road, Greystones, said the closure had cost her '500 customers a week. That is 2,000 customers a month – it is a lot for any business to take'.. Local group Friends of the Cliff Walk commissioned Mr Power to carry out an economic study of the economic cost of the closure. As part of the overall figure of €73 million, Mr Power estimated losses to local shops, restaurants and coffee shops at €4 million, based on yearly spending by walkers of €3.5 million. Speaking to The Irish Times, Mr Power said he had relied on Fáilte Ireland reports on visitor spending, figures for the numbers of people previously walking the cliff walk and his own interviews with businesses in the area among other sources. He said that according to Fáilte Ireland figures overseas visitors would typically spend €105 each a day, domestic visitors would be spending €92 daily and local walkers would spend about €10. He said recent analysis showed 10 per cent of visitors on the walk were from overseas, 40 per cent would be domestic visitors and the rest locals. Using official figures showing 350,000 visitors in the last year the walk was open, the annual spend was €18.4 million. With the walk now closed four years that loss amounted to €73 million overall, he said. He said the impact on the economies of Bray and Greystones has been 'very significant'. 'If we assume the average spend locally is €10 per visitor, the overall spend locally would be €3.5 million. This would support 77 jobs in tourism and hospitality in the local area. Assuming an average wage of €20,000, this would equate to a wage injection of €1.54 million into the local economy,' he said at the launch of his report on Tuesday in Greystones. Wicklow County Council said it was in the process of appointing consultants to advise 'short-term and long-term solutions to address the issues with sections of the walk that have already collapsed or are about to collapse'. The council said it had 'identified unsafe sections, reluctantly closed them, and signposted alternative routes around the collapsed sections of the cliff walk'. It said it was also working to identify funding for the work.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
An Irishwoman's Diary: The earl who left Ireland behind when dreams of a hot-air balloon went up in smoke
If you are thinking of devoting your life to achieving a dream, perhaps the experience of Benjamin O'Neale Stratford will act as a cautionary tale. Born in 1808, he spent his life trying to build the world's best hot-air balloon, only to see his dream go up in smoke. His balloon, on the other hand, never left the ground. With a name like that, you might think he was born into a life of privilege. You would be right. His ancestors owned most of Baltinglass, Co Wicklow , although their fortunes were on the wane by the time Benjamin came along. This was mainly due to his feckless father, Mason Gerard Stratford, who had a penchant for bigamy; he collected and abandoned wives with reckless abandon. Benjamin was the sixth earl of Aldborough and he lived in Stratford Lodge, overlooking the town of Baltinglass. To say he was eccentric is an understatement. Edward P O'Kelly makes this clear in his passages about Benjamin in the Journal of the Co Kildare Archaeological Society in 1905. It's clear O'Kelly could have filled a book with tales about him. At one point, he noted in passing that the earl had only one eye, 'the other having been removed by a heron that he had fired at'. He gave no further explanation, as though having your eye plucked out by a furious heron was an everyday occurrence. According to the author, the earl's sole aim in life was to construct a hot-air balloon and he devoted decades to the task. To accommodate his invention, he built a house at the western end of Stratford Lodge in chiselled Ballyknockan granite. Its door was 50 feet wide and 60 feet high so that the balloon could exit safely when inflated. READ MORE The earl led a reclusive life as he worked on the balloon. Instead of hiring a cook, his meals came from Dublin every day on the Blessington and Baltinglass Royal Mail coach. They might not have been piping hot when they reached him, but a plate of cold cabbage and bacon is an insignificant matter when you are dreaming of flying across the sky in a basket. He temporarily moved in with his balloon but vowed to leave the country His plan was to fly to England and then on to France . Clearly an optimist, he bought a plot of land on the banks of the Seine to accommodate this dream. He had also hoped to offer the balloon to help the Crimean War effort. The author wrote: 'He regretted exceedingly that he had not the balloon finished for the Russian War, that it might have been utilised by sharp-shooters to snipe the Russian generals.' They would have to be very sharp shooters indeed to risk their lives in a hot-air balloon above the Russian army. By spring of 1858, when Ireland was still reeling from the effects of the Famine, the balloon was almost ready to take flight. Then, tragedy struck. A fire broke out in Stratford Lodge in the early hours of a Sunday morning in February. Neighbours rallied to help, presumably expecting that the earl would be keen to save the historic mansion. However, it quickly emerged that his only concern was to save the balloon house. Stratford Lodge was left in ruins and while the balloon house escaped the worst of the fire, the balloon itself was irreparably damaged. He temporarily moved in with his balloon but vowed to leave the country – and his ballooning dreams – behind forever. The earl was true to his word, travelling to Alicante in Spain where he spent the remainder of his life. [ Walking the Bray Celtic Camino: a Famous Five adventure for adults Opens in new window ] Not for him a life of lying on the beach and enjoying afternoon cocktails. No, he became even more reclusive over there, according to Paul Gorry in his book, Baltinglass Chronicles. He studiously avoided his countrymen and had his meals delivered to his room. Leaning into his eccentric character, he refused to leave out his used dishes and cutlery. When the crockery began to overflow, he would simply move to another room and start accumulating dishes again. The earl hadn't done much to add to the gaiety of life in Baltinglass so it's not surprising that his death, in 1875, was a minor event for the people of the town. As for the balloon house, it was dismantled and the stone was used in the construction of the tower of St Joseph's church in Baltinglass. While the balloon never saw the sky, the land where it once stood sees plenty of airborne activity today. It is home to Baltinglass Golf Club, where members send their golf balls soaring into the air on a daily basis.
BreakingNews.ie
6 days ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Dentist given lifetime ban on owning animals in 'appalling case of animal neglect'
A dentist has been given a suspended prison sentence of four and a half years and a lifetime ban on owning animals after what a judge described as 'one of the most appalling cases of animal neglect' he had ever come across. Karen Saunderson (68), who comes originally from Liverpool with an address in England, pleaded guilty to 10 offences contrary to the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, over the condition in which a large number of animals were discovered at the rental property where she lived at Templelusk, Avoca, Co Wicklow, on November 19th, 2016. Advertisement The charges related to causing unnecessary suffering, feeding, neglect and a failure to safeguard the health and welfare of animals. Photo: Collins Lawyers for Ms Saunderson – who is also known as Sanderson – claimed her property was used 'as a drop-off point for certain unwanted animals.' A sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday heard an animal welfare inspector and gardaí who visited the living area of the property complained that their eyes were burning from the smell of ammonia from the urine of the animals. A total of 43 dogs, five horses, a pig and a wild boar were found on the property when it was visited by the chief inspector of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Conor Dowling. Advertisement The inspector gave evidence that an overweight pig, which was found squealing and lying on its side in a filthy stable, had to be put down later that day to prevent it from further suffering. Mr Dowling said the animal was unable to get to its feet, had overgrown hooves and no water. He described a terrible stench from other stables where he found 12 dogs living in muck and faeces with no water with some of the animals obviously 'stressed.' Photo: Collins One Mastiff who had a withered leg had to be euthanised a week later. Advertisement Mr Dowling said a German Shepherd, who was discovered to be pregnant, gave birth to a litter of nine pups the following week. Some were deformed, and none survived. However, most of the other dogs and all the horses were successfully rehomed. Mr Dowling told counsel for the DPP, James Kelly BL, that he sought assistance from gardaí because of the scale of what he encountered. He outlined how dogs spilled out of the living area of a loft building when the door was opened. Advertisement The court heard a total of 31 dogs, ranging from small puppies to giant breeds, were found in the loft with dog faeces everywhere. 'It was a stressful and chaotic environment,' said Mr Dowling, who believed that a large pool of liquid on the floor was urine from the dogs. 'I could not breathe and it made my eyes burn,' he recalled. A video recording of the scene showed the accused trying to claim the dogs had only urinated when inspectors had knocked on the door. Advertisement Mr Dowling said the accused claimed she walked 30 dogs every day, but he said the evidence indicated otherwise, as many of the animals had overgrown claws. He said one Mastiff had chronic arthritis and could not even make its own way downstairs, while a spaniel could not walk as it had not properly recovered from an old injury. Another dog had to have a toe amputated as it had been gnawing at an exposed bone. Mr Dowling said he did not believe Ms Saunderson was keeping animals commercially, but he found it hard to explain the situation. The inspector said all the horses were underweight and suffering from rain scald and mud fever. He told Judge Patrick Quinn that a decision was taken to remove most of the animals, although the accused was allowed to keep some dogs, to whom she was particularly attached. The judge questioned how the situation was allowed to develop, that both the defendant and her animals were living in such appalling conditions and squalor, without it being reported to the authorities. 'Somebody must have known,' he observed. Mr Dowling replied that he had visited the property on the basis of a 'quite vague' report that gave no sense of the scale of what he subsequently discovered. He pointed out that a vet who called to the property had never been beyond the yard. Photo: Collins However, he remarked that someone passing on the quiet road beside the property could have seen the horses in the field and realised there might be an animal welfare issue. Mr Dowling said the costs in the case were calculated at €12,229 but he believed the true figure was a multiple of that figure. Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Eanna Mulloy SC, the inspector said he was unaware of Ms Saunderson's claim that she was not the owner of all the animals or that she had issues with her landlord about sewage problems on the property. Mr Dowling said he was also unfamiliar that she was meant to be minding animals for a member of the Traveller community. The court heard Ms Saunderson had moved to Ireland in financially strained circumstances for a number of years on a 'career break', while she was the subject of a long-running regulatory matter with the General Dental Council in the UK. Mr Kelly noted that her guilty pleas were only entered in January 2025 to offences committed over eight years ago after she had submitted reports over the intervening years that she was unfit to go on trial. Mr Mulloy said Ms Saunderson had a difficult family background and was someone who was 'easily exploited.' He said the kernel of the problem was that his client was a woman who had a soft spot for animals, who could not cope with the number she had accumulated, but there was a low risk of her re-offending. Sentencing Ms Saunderson to four and a half years in prison and ordering her to pay costs of €15,000, Judge Quinn said it was obvious both she and her animals were neglected and living in 'absolute squalor.' The judge observed he had come across a few other similar cases where someone with a love of animals became overwhelmed by the number of animals they acquired over time. He claimed it was irrelevant that she might have been exploited by others. The judge accepted that her neglect was not intentional but due to her own declining mental state. Ms Saunderson sobbed audibly as she heard the sentence would be fully suspended. Addressing the judge, she remarked: 'Thank you very much. I really am so very sorry.'
BreakingNews.ie
23-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Five pople arrested as drugs and imitation firearm seized in Co Wicklow
Five people have been arrested as part of an operation targeting those suspected of committing burglaries and theft offences in Co. Wicklow. Uniform gardaí from across the county were assisted by the Detective Unit, Roads Policing Unit, Garda Armed Support Unit and Air Support Unit during today's planned operation. Advertisement Together they conducted searches of 13 locations early this morning targeting those involved in burglary, theft and drug-related offences in the county. During these searches, five people were arrested and are currently detained at Garda Stations in the south east region. An imitation firearm has been seized and will be sent for ballistic analysis. Gardaí also conducted more than 80 checkpoints over the course of today's day-of-action. Advertisement Friday's operation follows the arrest of 12 other people over the past 10 days who have been wanted on warrant for failing to appear in court. Furthermore, more than €100,000 worth of drugs have been seized by Gardaí in the past two weeks and two people arrested. One person is now before the courts in connection with this seizure in Co. Wicklow. Throughout the day crime and burglary patrols, both covert and high visibility, were carried out along with a series of checkpoints. Advertisement A number of road traffic and crime related detections were made. Commenting on this activity, Chief Superintendent Derek Hughes from the Wexford Wicklow Division said, "When a person's home is broken into or someone has had their possessions taken from them, it can leave a lasting impact and really affect their sense of safety and privacy. It's an invasion and causes huge upset. "Gardaí across Wicklow have been working around the clock to fully investigate the crimes that have been committed, and are determined to continue detecting and preventing criminals from profiting from the hardship of others – our work this month demonstrates our commitment to robustly investigate and prosecute offenders who engage in this type of crime.'
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Rural Wicklow retreat surrounded by trees on 2.4 acres for €1.15m
Address : Welbek, Kiltimon, Coynes Cross, Ashford, Co Wicklow Price : €1,150,000 Agent : McGovern Estates View this property on While trees are noted for contributing to human wellbeing by filtering pollutants and providing shade and a home for biodiversity, a new study by ETH University in Zurich has found a correlation between lower mortality rates for people who live in neighbourhoods with large contiguous areas of tree canopies. The study, executed over 10 years with the data from more than six million people, found that 'tree canopy cover in residential areas and their spatial arrangement correlate with mortality'. These findings are generally consistent with the outcomes of similar studies conducted in Philadelphia, Tehran and Taipei. At Welbeck, a four-bedroom house near Ashford in Co Wicklow , one of the big attractions will be the superb trees on the mature 2.4 acres of gardens that accompany this charming house. And as it lies in the townland of Kiltimon, which itself translates from Irish as 'Simon's Wood', a name said to go back to the 13th century, it appears those who have lived here have always enjoyed its abundance of trees. It was the love of horse-riding that first took the owners to this rather idyllic spot in Co Wicklow, as they travelled weekly from Dublin to enjoy the sport. They have also used the grounds for showjumping – they had a nine-jump arena in one of the paddocks for a time. While much of the lands are given over to paddocks, the rest wraps gently around the house with lawns, mature trees and the charming addition of a meandering stream. READ MORE The house is set behind electric gates Kitchen Dining space off the kitchen Bespoke window seat in one of the box bay windows Family room Living room The owners engaged architect Jonathan Huet to redesign their home – dating from 1976 – between 2006-2008. 'Many of the rooms were small so we took out lots of internal walls to create bigger spaces,' while also extending to the tune of about 40sq m. It is now a lovely rural retreat, bathed in light thanks to extensive use of glazing. The idea for the installation of box-bay windows came from their previous home at Avoca Park in Blackrock and now provide for seating in the principal bedroom upstairs and a built-in window seat in the kitchen. The house has been reworked with a clear aesthetic in mind. Materials used such as solid Merbau wood flooring, Travertine tiles and quartz worktops are solid, tactile and chosen for longevity. Nowhere is this more evident than in the open-plan kitchen, dining and living area at the rear, which forms the heart of the home. This space was designed by Michael and David Farrell of Enniscorthy-based Michael Farrell Custom Furniture, who also executed the built-in wardrobes and window seats. There is a softness in the design here: bespoke cabinetry with gentle curves, warm tones from the wood, and wide sightlines that give the rooms a visual flow. Principal bedroom Aerial view A stream meanders through the 2.4 acres of gardens Rear is west facing and has a good sized storage shed Upstairs, four bedrooms are arranged simply, with the two larger rooms featuring en suites and bay windows that look out over the front fields. It is not overdone, and rooms are neutral and carpeted, with floor-to-ceiling wardrobes. It will likely be the outdoor spaces that will make prospective new owners swoon, however. The main livingroom, situated just off the hall, opens directly on to the west-facing terrace, as does the snug, offering easy movement from inside to outside. The split-level terrace, complete with a hot tub, is a real sun trap in the afternoons, and one of the house's most inviting features. As is the stream that meanders through the extensive grounds, which are home to a family of red squirrels. From the nearby Rathmore bus stop you can take the 133 Bus Éireann service, which reaches Dawson Street in Dublin city centre in about an hour, depending on traffic. The owners love the privacy, space and convenience to the capital of their 196sq m (2,100sq ft) home, which is close to Wrens Wood Garden with six hectares of mature woodlands for further walks. With C1 Ber, this rural gem is now on the market through McGovern Estates, seeking €1.15 million.
