Reports that the Heath commonage in Co Laois may be sold by the Office of Public Works have angered local residents. The 426-acre area outside Portlaoise is considered one of the most important historical, tourist, environmental and cultural sites in the midlands.
The Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Mr Martin Cullen, said the reports were "a bit premature" as there were outstanding legal issues to be resolved. However, he said the sale eventually would be "one of the obvious options" for the land.
The Heath is an area of open grassland and heather, with scattered furze. It has been grazed for centuries, mainly by sheep, and is currently home to a 130-member golf club, a GAA club and a primary school.
The Minister's comments have left local people confused and angry. "I can't see how they can sell the land," said one man who declined to be named.
"Our family goes back generations in the area and have always grazed our animals on the Heath." Locals tell of ducks, geese, sheep, cattle and goats once being a regular sight grazing on there. The local GAA club and golf club pay an annual licence fee to the OPW for use of the grounds.
One local man said his father told tales of horse racing on the Heath: "There used to be three circuits: a mile sprint; a mile-and-a-half; and a three-mile gallop. They can't sell the Heath. If they do, anyone buying it will have to acknowledge the grazing rights on it."
Another man asked: "What will they do about the Mass paths and right-of-ways? The Heath is littered with right-of-ways."
A young man practising his golf on the Heath National School playing pitches asked: "Who could afford to build on this land? It would make sense for some Department to put money into developing recreational facilities or extending the golf course.
"A lot of people come out here walking. What's to happen to the farmers who have their animals grazing? Will they get compensation to clear off the land they and their families have used for generations? I don't think so. If an action group was formed to keep this land in the hands of the people, I would support it."
However, others have a different view. "I really don't care what they do with it," said one woman. "There's only furze, briars and nettles growing out there." Heath GAA club secretary, Mr Seamus McGrath, commented: "At present we have a 99-year lease and pay a small yearly licence to the OPW. It (the possible sale of the land) could prove beneficial, as the club may be able to buy their own pitches and land."