Mahon Falls fenced?

looksee

Does anyone know anything about this? I gather there was some issue with a group including the CoCo making a road and the land owners taking exception. Not surprising if it was as un-consulted as I heard! I didn't realise Mahon Falls was private land - or was it downstream from the falls?

falan

looksee wrote: »

Does anyone know anything about this? I gather there was some issue with a group including the CoCo making a road and the land owners taking exception. Not surprising if it was as un-consulted as I heard! I didn't realise Mahon Falls was private land - or was it downstream from the falls?

I'm not from the area but i did my Mountain Skills assessment around Mahon falls a few weeks ago. There's a bit about it here...


https://www.facebook.com/Comeragh-Mountains-139787956042083/?fref=ts

The Mahon Falls area of the Comeragh Mountains in Co. Waterford, Ireland has been closed to hillwalkers and tourists.
Local businesses who rely on tourism are shocked at the move, which comes at the start of the tourism season
.
One local accommodation provider, who did not want to be named for fear of intimidation said, “this type of action sends out all the wrong messages to tourist and tourism organisers, that the mountains of County Waterford is a No-Go area, they’ll just stop coming here, they won’t want the hassle”
As tourism is showing signs of recovering, small family businesses such as B&Bs Hostels who managed to scrape by and survive the recession are worried that the closure of large parts of the Mahon valley to visiting Hillwalkers and tourist will be the final nail in their coffin, “it’s ironic that we survived the recession, the demands of the banks, the cuts by the Governments, paid our increased taxes, only to be killed off by the selfish actions of a so-called Local Development Group, our neighbours” the source said.
Tourists interviewed at the Mahon falls parking area, the day before St Patricks Day, said they were saddened to see signs telling them " No Trespassing" and were nervous about walking in the area and left without attempting to visit the Falls they had travelled so far to visit.
The closure of the Mahon Valley follows the recent bulldozing of a road over 3 metres wide, for 3km towards the Mahon Falls. This unauthorised development by the Local Community Group was carried out without planning permission. The large area destroyed is designated as a Special Area of Conservation, but the National Parks & Wildlife Service were not consulted prior to the destruction of this important and fragile environment. Waterford City & County Council funded the unauthorised destruction, even though the developers did not have planning permission. An appeal has been lodged to An Bord Pleanála objecting to the unauthorised development. A local source said objections to the unauthorised development “is the reason that Hillwalkers and tourist are now banned from walking in the Mahon Valley”
Hillwalkers and other tourists will simply spend their money in other parts of Ireland, where they are welcome. Unfortunately, it is the local family run businesses who rely on tourism who will ultimately suffer.

In the comments people are saying its not true etc. I don't really know what's happening but if it is true the the reality is that the land around there is owned by somebody and he/she/they have the right to close it off for whatever reason.

Cases like the Dublin woman suing for damages recently when she fell whilst out hillwalking don't help.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/dublin-woman-sues-parks-service-over-fall-on-wicklow-way-1.2519391

looksee

How totally ridiculous is it that a community group can not only take it on themselves to drive a road through a scenic and sensitive area, but get funding for it! I don't blame the land owners at all. However I do hope that it will be amicably resolved and access opened again.