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 A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...

TD,

Roger Garland Roger Garland (born February 1933) is an Irish environmental activist and a former Green Party politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South constituency from 1989 to 1992. He was the Green Party's first candidate to be el ...

. The group believes Irish legislation protecting

rights-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 ...

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 An Óige (; meaning "Youth"), or the Irish Youth Hostel Association (IYHA), is a non-profit organisation providing youth hostel accommodation across the Republic of Ireland. An Óige is a member of Hostelling International. Background An Óige ...

, all of the Scout and Guide Associations, the United Farmers Association,

Irish Wildlife Trust The Irish Wildlife Trust has been a nature conservation charity and lobbyist in Ireland since 1979. It was renamed from the Irish Wildlife Federation. The head office is based in Glasnevin, in Dublin. One of the founders of the 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 the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

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 Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

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 ...

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

Sligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...

Donegal Donegal may refer to: County Donegal, Ireland * County Donegal, a county in the Republic of Ireland, part of the province of Ulster * Donegal (town), a town in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland * Donegal Bay, an inlet in the northwest of Ireland b ...

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 Uggool Beach ( ga, Trá an tOgúl) is a large beach in County Mayo, on the west coast of Ireland, located south of the town of Louisburgh. It is situated at the mouth of Killlary Harbour to its south, with Silver Strand to its north, Mweelrea ...

and

Free the Old Head of Kinsale The Old Head of Kinsale () is a headland near Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland. A castle has been on the headland since at least the 3rd century, with the current iteration built in 1223. An early lighthouse was established here in the 17th centu ...

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.

References

External links

Keep Ireland Open
Political advocacy groups in the Republic of Ireland Freedom to roam 1994 establishments in Ireland {{Ireland-org-stub

See also

References

External links