People's Picnic at the Old Head of Kinsale

cork | rights and freedoms | event notice Thursday July 12, 2007 09:52 by Old Head - Free the Old Head of Kinsale (086) 3004573

Ten years of denial of public access

2007 marks the tenth anniversary of the blocking off of public access from one of Ireland's most breathtaking scenic headlands - the Old Head of Kinsale. On August 26th next a tenth anniversary "People's Picnic" will be held to mark this shameful milestone and continue the struggle.

A previous protest at the Old Head of Kinsale

In 1997 an ultra-exclusive millionaire's playground named the "Old Head Golflinks" was opened by Ashbourne Holdings at the Old Head of Kinsale, one of Ireland's most scenic headlands with a huge historic, archaeological and environmental importance.

Although Ashbourne Holdings does not own the entire headland, nor can they legally ever own the foreshore, they immediately restricted public access which had been enjoyed for many centuries. For a period they charged for people to enter although were always selective about this and eventually they blocked off access to all but an exclusive coterie of golfers and hangers-on.

From an early stage there has been widespread opposition to this and local people, along with many daytrippers and foreign vistors complained about the tactic, but to no avail. Then the Free the Old Head of Kinsale campaign was formed to fight for the restoration of public access and this group has held numerous protests at the Old Head in the form of "People's Picnics" at the headland, some of which have attracted hundreds of people. These protests have included incursions as people assert their right to walk the headland where their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents walked.

There have been a number of court hearings on the matter, mainly on planning related issues and later this year the High Court is expected to air the issue of public access at last.

The Old Head is breathtakingly beautiful and is a place of rare flora and fauna, such as Ireland's only reptile, the tiny vivaparous lizard. It is also a recognised bird sanctuary and a great place for whale and dolphin watching, with 70ft long fin whales not an uncommon sight offshore. There are archaeological remains of an Iron Age fort along with the more recent De Courcey's castle which is decaying rapidly and whose walls have been incorporated into the golf courses' fortifications of high walls, razor wire and fencing, not to mention the heavy-handed security and cctv cameras.

On Sunday, 26th August next the Free the Old Head of Kinsale campaign will hold its next People's Picnic at the Old Head, commencing at 2pm. In the meantime we invite you to visit the Old Head and make your protest at the gates at the denial of access which had been established for generations.

On this 10th Anniversary of the jailing of the Old Head, help us set it free by joining us on 26th August.

We hope to run a car-pool on the day. Please watch this page for details closer to the date as well as public notices.