Gardai investigate hill-walking 'assault'

Gardaí in Enniskerry are investigating an incident involving a clash between hill-walkers and a landowner over a controversial walking route in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, yesterday.

Mr Joe Walker claimed he had been assaulted by two hill-walkers when he told them they could not trespass on his land.

He said he and his two teenage children had been met by about 30 hill-walkers on his land. When they approached him, he told them they were on private property and could go no further.

Mr Walker said that while the leader of the group was reasonable and tried to discuss the issue, two others who had attached themselves to the group broke forward and tried to force their way past him and his children.

He said he was knocked down by one hill-walker while his 13-year-old daughter was almost knocked down. A second man then attempted to force his way past him and his son but failed.

Hill-walkers and Mr Walker have clashed in the past over claims that an ancient right-of-way allows the public to walk a route through his land. It is part of the old coach road between Enniskerry and Rathfarnham.

Some 300 people, supported by local politicians, took part in a protest walk over the issue last September. However, they had to abandon their walk after Mr Walker erected a barricade across the route.

Mr Walker also claimed that hill-walkers had destroyed 139 trees on his land by stripping them of bark. Protesters at last year's march denied this and said the damage had nothing to do with them.

They, in turn, claimed that Mr Walker had hired security guards. Yesterday, Mr Walker said he had reported the most recent incident to gardaí and said that if they did not press charges, then he would take a civil action.

He said he was forced to abandon his walk with his children because he was concerned for their safety.

"I'm fed up of all this talk about lovely hill-walkers and landowners being accused of being bullies but nobody ever looks at the other side of the coin," he said. "I'm being bullied on my own land by these people. What am I supposed to do now?"

Last night, gardaí said "an incident" was being investigated.