Don't stray from the path: Safety works underway on Cliffs of Moher walk

Parts of the coastal walk at the Cliffs of Moher may be closed off in the coming weeks for safety improvement works.

Following a number of recent fatal accidents, Clare Local Development Company (CLDC) have begun works on improving safety measures at points where walkers most commonly step off the official 14 kilometre trail.

The improvements come just weeks after the death of a 12-year-old boy at the Cliffs, and one month after a 17-year-old boy fell to his death from the cliffs onto rocks in July.

A young woman, believed to have been an international student, also tragically lost her life in May this year after falling while sightseeing.

Pat Sweeney, one of 38 local landowners whose land the cliff walk runs through, and who operates tour service Doolin Cliff Walks, said he and other locals were "shocked and saddened" by recent tragedies.

However he said the walk is only "dangerous if you stray off the official trail" paths.

"A lot of the official trail has been upgraded," he said, with extra drainage, widening and barriers.

"When visitors stray off the official trail, that’s where the problems lie".

The Cliffs of Moher Strategy 2040, a long-term redevelopment plan for the region by Clare County Council, notes that "the paths beyond the visitor experience are considered to be a major safety hazard due to their proximity to the unstable cliff-edge and unpredictable weather conditions".

It adds that "visitors rarely heed the warnings in situ and try to get as close to the edge as possible to take Instagram-worthy photographs".

CLDC have said that at present, there are "no sections currently closed" on the Cliffs of Moher trails.

"We will update once the current additional safety assessments are completed," they posted on Facebook.

"We would remind anyone that is planning the walk would heed all signage warnings and not veer off the official path."

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