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Shore walk path closed for months at Greencastle end

Posted Thursday, July 5, 2007

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Greencastle Craic

I took a walk along the shore path on Monday.

At Lafferty's Lane I saw a sign which said "The shore walk will be closed for some months in the Greencastle area due to harbour construction works. We apologise for any inconvenience" from the Department of Agriculture, Fishing and Food.

Went On

There was no start date on it and so we continued.

We got further along the shore walk path when we met two guys who were starting to dig a hole.

It was only about a foot deep and just over that wide.

Closed

"The shore walk is closed for a few months now" one of them said.

I knew we would be OK though. This is Ireland. In some other countries the jobsworths would have sent you back.

"Are you coming back?" they asked.

"No, we're catching the ferry" I said truthfully.

"OK, go on then" they said.

No Start Date

Although I had seen the sign, as I had said there was no start date.

I also thought it would be just before you came to Greencastle and was surprised that it wasn't.

I wondered why they were closing the path where they did as it was nowhere near the harbour.

Dodging the Blockage

I presume it is just the path they are closing and that they wouldn't stop you if you clambered over the rocks - or would they? Would they have something at Greencastle stopping you there.

That set me musing.

What if they stopped you completely?

If they did what if you took a pair of wellies with you and went into the water to walk the rest of the way.

Would the frown on that?

If they did would they be able to stop you?

British Territory

Someone told me that the British claim that their territory goes right up to the shore at the median high water line.

If that's true did the local authorities have the authority to order you out?

Would they have to contact the British get you out?

Could I have told anyone ordering me to go back "You have no jurisdiction here"?

Immaterial

It's probably immaterial anyway.

As someone once wrote "The Irish are great at making laws. The thing they are even better at, though, is getting round them".