(Revisited) A sign at Killone Abbey, Co. Clare, barring access to an abbey founded in 1190 and a graveyard of many local ancestors. The sign is now down, but the Wikipedia article currently claims “it is private land, access is available with the owner’s permission.” Isn’t there public right of way?
by Utiszzz
5 comments
Link to the [Wikipedia article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killone_Abbey). There have been some edit wars back and forth, but my understanding from the [last discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/ireland/comments/14ty3tn/landowners_put_up_this_sign_at_the_entrance_of/) is that there is public right-of-way. Maybe someone more savvy in Wikipedia matters can look into the [history of the article](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Killone_Abbey&action=history) and correct, if necessary, this claim of requiring the landowners’ permission to visit this beautiful and historical place. An experienced editor removed reference to the right of way, but it’s not clear to me why, or if this is somehow justified.
There’s no automatic public right of way on private property in Ireland like there is in the UK. There isn’t an equivalent “right to roam” here. If the monument is on private property and not in the care of the OPW the landowner can absolutely bar access. Maybe they had a problem with litigious tourists before suing them for injury at the site and don’t want to take that risk anymore.
Read the links from the article, there was a parliamentary question about the Abbey back in 2015.
Access is at the owners discretion.
They’re not blocking access, just putting up a sign so I think they’re just being cheeky, discouraging visits but not actually cutting off a right of way if it exists, maybe trying to create a defence if sued for injury by a visitor. I’m sure they have the appropriate planning for that sign!
In any case, trespass laws are weak as fuck in Ireland, go visit and enjoy, all the land owners can do is call the Gardai, all the Gardai will do, if they ever arrive, in the first instance is ask you to move on.
These signs are put up more to protect the owner from being sued than to stop people from going on the land.
If the owner really wanted to stop people from going there, they’d just put up a fence.