St Edmundsbury, Lucan - Walkers Being Told To Keep Out

KWilson15

Hi everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has any updated information on the situation regarding walkers being warned off the land at St Edmundsbury, Lucan, which was bought in late 2013 by John Magnier and JP McManus.

I use the walk along the river from the boys' national school in the village up to Hermitage Golf Club for my bonkers year old Golden Retriever, it's about the only place in Lucan I can walk the rascal off-lead without him sharing loving licks with unsuspecting park walkers.

The walk from the school to the golf club, which is mainly along the riverbank (separated from the farm above by trees, bushes, hedgerows, etc) requires crossing through two fields in the farm at St Edmundsbury, and a while ago the farm manager there began warning off walkers, telling them they were trespassing.

The owners, I assume, own the land right down to the river, so I take it the farm manager is correct, any of us walking through there *are* trespassing?

No signs to that effect have been put up yet, just a warning along the lines of 'you are entering at your own risk’, but it looks like a clampdown is under way, so the signs will probably appear soon.

In the last couple of weeks two men in uniform (combat pants, navy puffed jackets with an orange logo on the sleeve) with a Rottweiler have appeared on the walk by the river, one of them threatening to unleash the Rottweiler on any dogs off lead, while hurling abuse at the same time. I have no idea if they are security men for St Edmundsbury, but they are extremely nasty and aggressive.

There is no livestock on the farm, potatoes only (so far), so that isn't an issue with dogs, and the narrow paths where you cut across the end of the fields are a long distance from the house (which I don’t think anyone lives in any way), so no there is no invasion of privacy.

Again, I assume the owners are perfectly within their rights to clamp down on walkers, I’m not disputing that at all, but it would be desperately sad if local people were denied access, after decades of using it, to one of the very few unspoilt natural amenities left in the area.

When Magnier and McManus bought the land they were urged by local councillors to allow South Dublin County Council create green routes along the river for locals to use, but judging by these recent developments they - or their management at the farm - have decided to reject that plea.

I contacted one local councillor about it in November and he said he would discuss it with the CEO of the Luttrellstown Group, who own the farm, but I haven’t heard back since.

Once again, before any one lectures me about private property and trespassing - I know! They are within their rights!

But what about showing some generosity to local people who have used that walk for generations, without ever interfering with activity on the farm?

I’m pretty sure Magnier and McManus did’t buy the land to grow spuds, I’d imagine they’ll try to succeed where their predecessor failed and get planning permission for hundreds of houses. Until then, it would be great if they could be kind enough to allow the people of Lucan access to this natural beauty.

Thanks for reading through this Biblical length waffle - would love to hear from anyone who uses the walk, or anyone who knows of recent developments.

alias no.9

I'm not sure of the new owners angle on this land is though I doubt it's a coincidence it's on the opposite bank of the liffey from their Luttrelstown lands. The outer ring road was originally planned to connect with the Blanchardstown Road South with another bridge across the Liffey though I think this got abandoned with the split of Dublin Corporation, perhaps they'd try and use any prospective building of this new bridge to leverage influence to rezone the lands, either by obfuscation or by offering to build the bridge in return for rezoning St Edmundsbury and/or Luttrelstown.

Anyway, I don't think any of this helps your poor dog, however there is a dog run in Griffeen Vally Park, close to the Haydens Lane entrance.

KWilson15

alias no.9 wrote: »

I'm not sure of the new owners angle on this land is though I doubt it's a coincidence it's on the opposite bank of the liffey from their Luttrelstown lands. The outer ring road was originally planned to connect with the Blanchardstown Road South with another bridge across the Liffey though I think this got abandoned with the split of Dublin Corporation, perhaps they'd try and use any prospective building of this new bridge to leverage influence to rezone the lands, either by obfuscation or by offering to build the bridge in return for rezoning St Edmundsbury and/or Luttrelstown.

Anyway, I don't think any of this helps your poor dog, however there is a dog run in Griffeen Vally Park, close to the Haydens Lane entrance.

Many thanks for the reply Alias, much appreciated. I think you might well be right about the reasons for their purchase of the land, as everyone said at the time, there's no way Magnier and McManus bought it for growing spuds :-)

If they are given permission to build I would love to think that in return they'll have to allow local people access to that river walk. I know private property is private property, but for generations locals have been allowed walk there, there was never an issue, so it's kind of galling that two businessmen with no connection to the area come in and clamp down.

Many thanks too for the Griffeen recommendation. I have taken him there but while it's definitely better than nothing, it's a bit small and boring for a rascal with a heightened sense of adventure! (And who wants to swim all day). Also, I'm a little wary of the park after he was attacked and kicked as a puppy by a nutter walking his dog - I had him off his lead, which was wrong, but the guy's reaction was extraordinary.

I'm beginning to think it would be easier to find gold than places where you can take your dog for a walk off lead!

Thanks again.

stoneill

It always irks me that riverside walk can be privately owned.
This sort of land should never be in private ownership IMO.