Ramblers battling for access to a scenic Co Cork links golf course have vowed to continue their campaign of monthly "picnics" on the course and take their legal challenge to Europe if necessary.
The Supreme Court is to hear an appeal by the state's planning board seeking to uphold public access to the Old Head of Kinsale as a traditional right.
In the latest twist in a four-year legal battle, a successful judicial review sought by the owners of the course in the High Court found that walkers and golfers were "inimical to each other".
The owners claim that if access is forced on them the internationally-famous course - where membership costs £50,000 and annual subscription £1,000 - will be forced to close.
Mr Ted Tynan, of the Free the Old Head campaign, said local people had walked on the Old Head for generations and the area belongs to the people not to any "exclusive group".
With recent golfing visitors have included Tiger Woods, Mr Bill Gates and actor Michael Douglas, Mr Tynan said: "They are calling it little America. It isn't little America, it is a part of our island."
He said the first monthly protest at the start of July attracted 200 "motivated and angry" people, rising to 1,000 at the end of August.
"We will continue the agitation in a peaceful manner and exercise our right to walk the Old Head. If the Supreme Court case fails we will take it to Europe," he said.
But insisted a compromise could be reached: "We are not objecting to golfing at all."
Mr John O'Connor, co-owner of the course, bought the 220-acre site with his brother in 1989 and was given permission by Cork County Council to build a club house and maintenance buildings eight years later, provided public access was allowed during daylight hours.
In a judicial review last year Mr Justice Kearns found in favour of the brothers - a decision subject to the current Supreme Court appeal. A decision is expected in the next six months.
Mr O'Connor said today: "There has never been public access as such - people used to trespass out here because the private land owner lived five or six miles away and it was impossible to police the place."
He said if the access were permitted the golf course would become " inoperable".
"We did try in the early years to let people in for a modest fee but when we opened the course we found that people were wandering everywhere. They are a danger to themselves and to each other."
PA
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