Recent news...

An Bord Pleanala Report on Multimetals development

An Bord Pleanala Report states that Multimetals development is a material change of use that is not exempted development. Read full report on:
http://www.pleanala.ie/casenum/RL2690.htm

Heritage Week Events 21st and 28th August Nature Walk to Broadlough and Cliff Walk to Bride’s Head

Wild Child Nature Walk To Broadlough
Cliff Walk To Brides Head

Family walk and clean-up of the Murrough-Broadlough

Friends of the Murrough will be holding a walk and clean-up all around the Murrough and Broadlough loop walk on Saturday 15th May at 2pm. The walk is family orientated so bring along the kids (sorry, not suitable for buggies). Bags, gloves and litter pickers will be provided, and no heavy lifting will be required. The meeting place is down past the new parking spaces on the Murrough, beside the ruined cottage.

We would like to thank all those who participated in last year's clean-up. We collected 50 bags of rubbish, which was brought downstream in two boats. We hope to see you all there again this year. We would like to thank also Earls Newsagents for printing notices, and Hanley's Tyre Service for their enormous generosity in allowing a direct access route from the new road to Broadlough lakeside. We wish to thank too the Engineers of Wicklow Co Council for their continued assistance in facilitating access routes for us all to enjoy.

Fundraising Pub Quiz on Thursday, 22nd April at 9 PM in Ernie’s Bar, Market Square

Dear all,
Friends of the Murrough have been working very hard on your behalf to ensure that the Murrough is kept clean, accessible and enjoyable for the residents of Wicklow and for our tourists. From cleaning up the overgrown ragwort and lakeside clean-ups, to landscape and access consultations, to lodging comprehensive objections regarding damaging developments and making submissions to the Co Development Plan, we have been on the ball, ensuring that all works carried out have a minimum effect on the enjoyment of the area. While the area is still quite a mess, we will continue to maintain contact with the contractors until all of the work is completed satisfactorily.
Although all our friends work in a voluntary capacity, from time to time we incur expenses such as website maintenance, payments for submissions to the Councils and An Bord Pleanala, stationery, postage etc. We're now low on funds and need your help.
Please support our Fundraising Pub Quiz on Thursday, April 22nd at Ernie's Bar, 9pm sharp. A table of four is only €20.
If you can't make it but would like to offer some donation, please send it to our Treasurer, Fintan Clarke, "Palma", Friarsfield, Wicklow Town.
Kind regards
Pat Kavanagh
Secretary
086 2771871

Talk on the Murrough by Vincent O'Reilly

Vincent O' Reilly will give a talk on the Murrough on 23/3/10 @ 8pm in St. Pats Boys National School. This talk is a follow up to the one given last year to Friends of the Murrough. This year's talk will focus on local business, the tramway and the man who saw the big picture for Wicklow's future

Chronology of Correspondence Regarding Multimetals Application for Permit

See the chronology of correspondence. Refer to the docments in turn below.

Terms and Provisions of the Waste Facility Permit

See the Terms and Provisions of the Waste Facility Permit granted to Multimetal Recycling Limited by Wicklow County Council. Download the document here (197 KB).

Appeal to An Bord Pleanala by Friends of the Murrough

Seee the Section 5 Query Appeal to An Bord Pleanala by Friends of the Murrough. Download the document here (524 KB).

Proposal for Wicklow Town Council

Cllr. Pat Kavanagh put the following proposal before Wicklow Town Council on Monday 7th December 2009 This proposal was defeated at the Town Council meeting when only two Councillors supported the motion and the remaining seven voted against it.

Appeal to An Bord Pleanala

Friends of the Murrough are appealing the decision of Wicklow Co Council to exempt Multimetals Recycling Facility from requiring planning permission.

Expenses for Year 2009

Friends of the Murrough have had a particularly expensive year as can be seen from this table. All of our committee members give of their time voluntarily and while some of our supporters have been generous in their contributions, our resources have dwindled considerably where we now find that our account is in debt. We would appeal for some extra funding from all those who value the work which we are doing in trying to preserve this wonderful amenity.
Contributions can be sent either to the Secretary, Cllr. Pat Kavanagh, 14 Dunbur Glen, Wicklow Town or to the Treasurer, Fintan Clarke, 8 Friarsfield, Wicklow Town

Proposed Scrap Yard for Lakeside on Murrough

Multimetals Recycling Ltd. Hempstown, Blessington, who currently operate their business dealing in various kinds of scrap metal including scrap cars have applied for a licence to operate on the Murrough at the rear of the Industrial Waste Recycling Centre and down towards the river. Anyone concerned about a scrapyard in this scenic area can examine a file that is available for public observations on/before 30th October 2009 file number WSPWW09001301 in Wicklow County Council buildings.

Walk and Clean-up of the Murrough, Broadlough, Vartry River Loop Walk

Friends of the Murrough and Wicklow Coast Care are having a walk / clean-up of the Murrough - Broad Lough - Vartry River around the so called Loop Walk (from railway crossing up by the coast, down by ‘the Avenue’ and return by the lake edge) on Saturday 17th October 1pm.

The walk is family orientated, so bring along the kids (sorry, not suitable for buggy) and dogs (on a lead please). We envisage taking around two hours to complete the loop. Bags and gloves and litter pickers will be provided. The chosen remit is bottles and cans etc, so no heavy lifting required.

The meeting place is down at the old Murrough car park at the level crossing by the ruined cottage in Wicklow Town at 1pm.

A Coastcare sub-committee of Friends of the Murrough was recently formed

Coastcare is an international community of volunteers who care for a particular stretch of coastline in their area. Coastcare volunteers identify local environmental problems and work together to achieve practical solutions. The Wicklow branch have recently been active in clearing litter and noxious weeds such as ragwort from the Murrough. Members also cut back vegetation such as furze and briars from the pathway on the Cliff Walk. Coastcare continually seeks and welcomes new volunteers to their group as there is an extensive area to cover. Contact: friendsofthemurrough@gmail.com
L to R Fintan Clarke, Larry Ryan, Cllr. Pat Kavanagh, Judy Osborne, Malcolm Spencer and Ned Cussen.
All had been busy removing several loads of ragwort from the Murrough as part of the Coastcare programme.
Photo by Tony Renshaw.

'Friends of the Murrough Walk: Sunday 31st May 2009

We would like as many people as possible to come along and show their solidarity with our aims.
Assembly Area: Railway Crossing at 2.30 PM Read our invitation.
Some of the people who took part in the walk on 31st May '09.

History Talk on the Murrough by Vincent O'Reilly followed by AGM

On Wednesday, April 29th, 8pm, in the Blue Room, Grand Hotel, Wicklow, Friends of the Murrough hosted a talk on the history of The Murrough and its environs by local Historian, Vincent O'Reilly. Vincent has already published 6 articles on The Murrough in the Historical Society Journal and is working on two more articles. We are indebted to Vincent for taking time out to come from Dublin to give this talk. After the talk, we held our AGM and elected our officers and committee members for the coming year. We would urge anyone who would like to get actively involved to contact us either by email or at 086 2771871

Monkey Pole Replaced

We are very happy to see that another group of local people, headed by Brendan Cullen have now replaced the Monkey Pole. As this was one of our many objectives for the Murrough, we appreciate the concerted effort by Brendan and his friends to get the pole replaced as quickly as they did.

Coffee Morning on Friday 13th February ‘09.

A very successful coffee morning was held at ‘The Mariner’ where local people had an opportunity to meet the committee members of Friends of the Murrough and keep abreast of developments during the past year. See our Update. This event also raised much needed funds for our campaign which will help towards the cost of preparing the Coastal Way Report.

Submission to Wicklow County Council, 23rd December 2008.

This is a submission from Friends of the Murrough to the planning section of Wicklow County Council concerning the region extending from Kilcoole to Wicklow Head. It outlines our proposals for the preservation of the area and the reinstatement of walkways.
See the submission

Submission for walkways sent to 'National Waymarked Ways Advisory Committee' (NWWAC)

The remit of this Committee, which forms part of the Irish Sports Council (ISC) is to promote Waymarked Walking Routes throughout Ireland.
The proposed trail is a linear coastal trail starting at Kilcoole Train stop and following the coastal rail line to Wicklow Town, through the picturesque harbour to the Black castle and along the cliff walk to Wicklow Head. Also proposed is a looped walk close to the town along the eastern bank of the Broadlough, through ‘The Avenue’ approximately 1k from the start and back along the coastal path.
See the completed questionnaire

Minister Gormley's visit to Wicklow

Minister John Gormley at Greenhill car park on 7th April, discussing the application for an SAAO with Friends of the Murrough Secretary, Pat Kavanagh.

Meeting with County Council Members 21st April

Friends of the Murrough had a meeting on 21st April ’08 with all five County Councillors from the Wicklow Electoral Area where they presented proposed amendments to the Wicklow Environs Local Area Plan. These amendments sought to secure A Special Amenity Area Order for the Murrough extending from Kilcoole to Wicklow Head and also included proposals under the heading of ‘coastal zone management’. The re-establishment of all traditional walkways within that area was also discussed. We expect that our proposals will be on the agenda for the next meeting of the Council and we await the outcome.

Extension approved for Murrough grant

Wicklow County Council has appointed a director to coordinate the application for a €115 million Failte Ireland grant for tourism infrastructure. Read more

March 4th Meeting

A meeting was held on 4th March '08 with an attendance of about two hundred people and turned out to be very successful with many valuable contributions and suggestions from those present. See Press reportage.

Press Coverage

The Wicklow Times of Wednesday, 19th March '08 reported that Bord Pleanala has approved a Special Area Amenity Order for Bray Head. Green Councillor, Ciaran O'Brien said that this SAAO for Bray Head is only the fourth in the country and the first to be initiated by a local authority. Other areas that have been granted this Order are Howth Head, Liffey Valley and Bull Island, all made by Ministerial Order. Councillor O'Brien said "it will enhance the area by promoting it as an important recreational and educational resource and will ensure clear management policies for the future' and he has asked Minister Gormley to direct the County Council to prepare two further SAAOs for the Little and Great Sugarloaf Mountains.