Cobh Quay Closed to the Public

It is with regret that we have been forced to protest against the action of the Port of Cork Company in closing Cobh’s historic Deepwater Quay and Five Foot Way walkway.

While the blocking of the quay in recent times coincides with the presence of cruise liners we wish to make clear that our protest is not against these vessels but rather against the intransigence of the Port of Cork company and their insistence that they have right to close the walking route at any time they wish.

This walkway has been a traditional right of way for over 150 years and has been enjoyed by generations of Cobh people and visitors to the town alike. The refusal of the Port of Cork to acknowledge that a right of way exists and their blockage of a route enjoyed by many hundreds of people every day has reluctantly led us to the decision to protest this morning as we find that once again barriers are placed across the public walkway and are policed by private security guards.

The Five Foot Way, while it has existed for generations, was redeveloped by the then Cobh Urban District Council as a Millennium Project and as a public amenity and health walk. It was a prestigious undertaking and was highlighted as part of a nationwide drive to encourage people to take up walking to improve heart health. Unfortunately the Port of Cork has taken it upon itself to block this quay which is the access point to the walkway from Cobh town.

We reject their claims that this closure is on grounds of either security or public safety. Thousands of ship’s passengers walk exactly the same route without any additional safety equipment. Their claims simply do not stand up to scrutiny.