{"id":603999,"date":"2026-08-25T09:22:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T09:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/603999\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T09:22:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T09:22:15","slug":"families-left-struggling-as-donegal-beach-path-stays-closed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/603999\/","title":{"rendered":"Families left struggling as Donegal beach path stays closed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Older people and families are being hardest hit by the closure of the traditional access route to Tr\u00e1 na Rossan beach outside Downings, according to a local campaigner.<\/p>\n

A boardwalk from the car park to the scenic beach has been closed since April<\/a>, when signs stating \u201cprivate property\u201d and \u201ckeep out\u201d were placed at the entrance.<\/p>\n

The path, which runs through privately owned farmland, was earmarked for a much-needed upgrade<\/a>\u00a0in recent years.<\/p>\n

Donegal County Council is planning a new boardwalk entrance and fencing once a lease agreement with the landowner is finalised.<\/p>\n

While the council says it is continuing to engage with the landowner in an effort to secure a lease for a public access route to the beach, there is still no date for the works to begin.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The now-closed access route to Tra na Rossan Beach Downings from the car park. Photo: Donegal Daily<\/p>\n

Six months ago, the council confirmed that funding was in place and a contractor had already been procured.<\/p>\n

While the beach may still be approached by more difficult routes, one campaigner says these are not a realistic alternative for older people, families and those with limited mobility.<\/p>\n

Brian Gallagher, a lifelong user of the route, who is based in the US, has launched a campaign over the continued closure.<\/p>\n

Mr Gallagher submitted a detailed 17-page document to Donegal County Council outlining what he says is the personal and public impact of the situation.<\/p>\n

He says his own father and uncle cannot reasonably be expected to climb hills, cross fences or negotiate rough terrain to reach a beach they have known for decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cA difficult indirect route is not equivalent to safe, usable access,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cA young, fit person might negotiate steep hills or rough ground. Older people, disabled visitors, people with limited mobility, families and small children may not,\u201d he states.<\/p>\n

He also argues that the closure affects accessibility, tourism, community life and wellbeing, rather than simply causing inconvenience.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Tr\u00e1 na Rossan is one of Downings\u2019 most breathtaking beaches<\/p>\n

In response to queries from Donegal Daily, the council confirmed that the proposed lease agreement has not yet been legally executed.<\/p>\n

“Discussions between the council and the landowner are continuing, and a number of matters remain subject to agreement between the parties,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce all terms have been agreed and the necessary legal formalities have been completed by both parties, the lease can be executed and the proposed access works can proceed.”<\/p>\n

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The council has confirmed that funding identified for the project remains available and that the contractor previously procured for the works remains in place.<\/p>\n

\u201cSubject to the completion of the necessary lease arrangements and the securing of access to the site, the contractor will be in a position to commence the works,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

There is still no definitive start date.<\/p>\n

The anticipated construction period remains approximately one to two weeks, subject to weather conditions and any unforeseen site issues.<\/p>\n

The council has also considered interim and alternative access options since the traditional route was blocked in April.<\/p>\n

However, it said that no route has been identified that can currently provide public access in a manner that is safe, practical and compliant with its public health and safety obligations.<\/p>\n

“The council will continue to monitor the situation and remains committed to securing a long-term solution as quickly as possible,” the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

Mr Gallagher\u2019s submission also asks the council to examine the historic status of the route, including whether it may constitute a public right of way.<\/p>\n

The council said it is aware of the long-established use of the route by members of the public and has considered the historical context surrounding access to the beach.<\/p>\n

It stressed that no formal determination has been made on whether the route is in fact a public right of way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe question of whether a route constitutes a public right of way is, however, a complex legal matter that depends on the assessment of a range of factors, including historical evidence, landownership records, the nature and duration of use, and other relevant legal considerations,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt present, the council’s priority remains the progression of negotiations aimed at securing a practical and permanent access solution for the public.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Older people and families are being hardest hit by the closure of the traditional access route to Tr\u00e1…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":604000,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[61,60,43],"class_list":["post-603999","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/603999","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=603999"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/603999\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/604000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=603999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=603999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=603999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}