Keep Ireland Open is a voluntary campaign organisation established to promote access to the Irish countryside and walkways. Founded in 1994, its chairman is former
Green Party TD,
Roger Garland. The group believes Irish legislation protecting
rights-of-way and access to recreational use of land is inadequate and minimal. It consists of combination of individual members and various outdoors and environmental groups; including the
Irish Ramblers,
An Óige, all of the Scout and Guide Associations, the
United Farmers Association,
Irish Wildlife Trust,
Association of Irish Riding Clubs, Federation of Local History Society and a number of walking groups. It claims that the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
has one of the poorest records of protecting walking routes in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
and that it is heavily influenced by farmers' lobby groups that resist further legislation. The organisation states freedom to roam over rough grazing land, a network of well-maintained rights-of-way in lowland areas and minimisation of barbed-wire fencing in mountain areas and beaches, as its aspirations. Keep Ireland Open has also been involved in several individual access disputes around the country, including in counties
Wicklow
Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has a ...
,
Cork,
Sligo,
Donegal,
Mayo Mayo often refers to:
* Mayonnaise, often shortened to "mayo"
* Mayo Clinic, a medical center in Rochester, Minnesota, United States
Mayo may also refer to:
Places
Antarctica
* Mayo Peak, Marie Byrd Land
Australia
* Division of Mayo, an Aust ...
. These include groups such as the
Uggool Beach and
Free the Old Head of Kinsale campaigns which campaign for restoration of public access where it was previously enjoyed.
Keep Ireland Open representatives make presentations to government bodies, county councils, and submissions to Oireachtas Committees in support of the right to roam.
THE ALL-PARTY OIREACHTAS COMMITTEE ON THE CONSTITUTION
www.constitution.ie, 2003.
See also
*Freedom to roam
The freedom to roam, or "everyman's right", is the general public's right to access certain public or privately owned land, lakes, and rivers for recreation and exercise. The right is sometimes called the right of public access to the wilderness ...
*Right of way
Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another.
A similar ''right of access'' also exists on land held by a gov ...
References
External links
Keep Ireland Open
Political advocacy groups in the Republic of Ireland
Freedom to roam
1994 establishments in Ireland
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