A WEEK after the Mayo village of Cong celebrated the 60th anniversary of the making of The Quiet Man, its residents have begun a series of “rolling” protests over their restricted access to the grounds of Ashford Castle.
Cong Community Council and Ashford Village Residents’ Group say they are “very disappointed” that the castle and five-star hotel in Cong should have chosen the weekend of the festival to “cut off an established right of way”.
"Even when US president Ronald Reagan stayed here, along with the FBI, they never locked the gates," residents' group chairman Frank Murphy said. Mr Murphy's father, John, was gardener for 65 years in the castle grounds on the shores of Lough Corrib, and his dog Jacko starred with Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man.
Ashford Castle Hotel has said it will make no comment on the issue, and its owner, developer Gerry Barrett, was also unavailable yesterday.
The community council and residents claim that shortly after Mr Barrett acquired the property in 2008, he began attempting to restrict access to routes leading to Lough Corrib – until residents objected.
The issue arose again last year when electronic arms were fitted to the castle’s steel gates at the main and western entrances, and tarmac was removed to allow the gates to swing.
Mr Murphy says residents were told that gates would be opened if car drivers beeped their horns. “We are relying on someone in the hotel to hear us, and this arrangement is no good to families walking to school or Mass through the grounds,” he said.
Residents staged an impromptu protest when access was restricted on Wednesday of this week. Community council chairman Hugh Lavelle said unsuccessful attempts had been made to reach an agreement with Mr Barrett, and the community was facing a “Lissadell House-type” situation in relation to rights of way.