The country's highest mountain, Carrauntoohil in the MacGillycuddy's Reeks, has no proper access and is suffering from serious erosion by the increase in recreational hillwalkers, a leading mountaineer and trekking guide has warned.
Con Ó Muircheartaigh was speaking at the start of a month-long festival of hillwalking in the Killarney area where he accompanied the climber Sir Chris Bonnington and others on walks and rock climbs in the MacGillycuddy's Reeks.
Carrauntoohil was an international attraction but the access was "a disgrace" and the lack of facilities in an area of dramatic beauty "unbelievable", he said.
Mr Ó Muircheartaigh is the co-author of a report on the mountains to be presented to Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, John O'Donoghue, and Kerry County Council.
The report "The Reeks Action Plan", prepared for the Beaufort Community Council, says that over the past 20 years increased foot traffic on the traditional "tourist route" to Carrauntoohil via the Devil's Ladder has resulted in "terrific erosion".
The disintegration of the Devil's Ladder had been very dramatic and parts were now worsening out of control, it said. The route was now so dangerous many hillwalkers were avoiding it altogether, leading them to chose unfamiliar routes often more dangerous still. As part of the study an international team has drawn up plans for a stone-stepped footpath in conjunction with the Irish Mountaineering Council, An Coillte and others.
Following on a number of serious accidents and one fatality, footbridges also need to be addressed to prevent climbers falling into rushing rivers, says the report.
Increased motor traffic is also putting pressure on the area and its inhabitants, according to a report.
Like most of our natural resources, the mountains are without any management plan, said Mr Ó Muircheartaigh. Some €750,000 is needed to repair the reeks route. A site for a car park has already been ear-marked and the community is applying to Tourism Ireland and other bodies for funding.
As part of the Killarney walking festival, fires were lit on the reeks' 10 highest peaks on Saturday night by leaders from the Fás outdoor pursuits course in south Kerry. The course is aimed at providing a pool of professional guides.
"Our plan is to further develop walking holidays in Killarney that are as good as the best in the world and having a professional guide service is a most important part of this," Conor Hennigan, chairman of the Killarney 250 festival, said.