The supervision of the Cliffs of Moher walking trail, which has seen three separate fatalities this year, is hoped to be assumed by Clare County Council. The pathway that’s currently under the authority of Clare Local Development Company (CLDC) in cooperation with Fáilte Ireland and Clare County Council is primarily owned by 37 local farmers.
Two stretches of the 18km path, set on opposite sides of the Cliffs of Moher Experience, have remained shut since a Sport Ireland safety inspection in late August. According to CLDC, the range of remedial tasks resulting from this audit were “significant”, and it doesn’t anticipate the trail being completely open in the near future.
However, a recent local council meeting showed unanimous support for the local council to assume control of what is widely considered the most frequented trail in Ireland.
Pat Dowling, CEO of Clare County Council, believes it’s a natural progression for the local authorities to govern the workings of the trail. He asserts that this is his intended objective moving forward.
Local council member, Shane Talty, argues that the CLDC lacks the means to oversee the path in an effective and safe manner. He emphasises the walk’s challenging nature, its popularity, and the overwhelming volume of visitors it attracts. Mr Talty further underscores the need for an entity possessing the manpower and resources to supervise the trail.
If a property owner encounters a problem under the present set-up, the CLDC is their only point of contact and it lacks the staff or means to address the issue promptly on location. In comparison, local government has the teams and necessary skills to examine the issue, devise a resolution, and implement the same.
Eoin Hogan from CLDC argued that remarks on the matter from local councillors and the council CEO were hasty, and that all stakeholders should delay any decisions until the conclusion of a management strategy currently in development.
A representative for Clare County Council mentioned that consultations with property owners and the public are still taking place.
In an unfortunate incident earlier this year in May, a Belgian student studying medicine plunged off a massive 700ft cliff whilst attempting to bypass a group of hikers on the mountain path she was navigating with her companions. Following this on the 5th of July, Lochlann Murray, a 17-years-old pupil from Armagh faced a similar fate when he tragically fell off the edge of the cliff. Towards the end of July, another young lad, on a trip to Ireland with his family, also tragically lost his life as he plummeted from the trail.