Graffiti discovered in a remote area along the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare is attracting police attention.
The Irish Examiner reports that the graffiti scrawled over hard to reach parts of Ireland’s leading tourist attraction could be seen as a crime.
Though the artist is still unknown, police say that he or she could face prosecution for defacement.
The spot where the graffiti was placed is not easy to reach. The artist would have had to climb onto a narrow walkway overlooking a sheer 150m-high cliff in order to complete the mural.
Because of the porous nature of the sandstone rock which makes up the Cliffs of Moher, it may take years or even decades for the design to be weathered away naturally.
Read more news on Irish vacations here
“It’s a real pity that someone felt the need to express themselves in this way and negatively impact on other visitors enjoyment of the natural beauty of the area,” said Katherine Webster, director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitors’ Experience.
“It [the graffiti] appears to be towards Hags Head and off the marked coastal trail as well as at some considerable distance from the visitor centre. This is well outside of the visitor centre land.
“The Atlantic wind, rain and sea spray will wear it away over time. The Cliffs of Moher are a special protected area and it is possible that, if the person who did this could be identified, they might face action by the National Parks and Wildlife Service but I imagine identifying them and proving they were the culprit would be a very difficult task.”
Geologist at the Cliffs of Moher Dr. Eamon Doyle told BBC News that, "The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark have a Leave No Trace policy and would strongly encourage all visitors to support this.
“My main concern is that this graffiti will lead to other copycat graffiti in more public and vulnerable areas and will detract from the much more important story that lies within the rocks.”
Dr. Doyle said that the Cliffs of Moher is an international attraction serving as a site where geologists can study the evolution of climate change.
Read more: Irish towns recognized in the World’s Rudest Place names - Effin and Nobber make the list
"The cliffs of west Clare are subjected to unrelenting erosion by wind and waves which will remove the graffiti fairly quickly; however we will probably speed up this process manually as we do not want visitors leaving the trails to find it. The cliffs here are very dangerous.”
Photographer David Olsthoorn was the first to discover the graffiti while he was shooting seascapes.
“It’s not an easy spot to get to. It’s a good 15-minute walk on a zig-zag path down a cliff face. It is muddy and slippery so it’s certainly not the sort of place where you’d expect to see graffiti,” said Olsthoorn.
“It is totally out of place there. It looks like something that should be on an alleyway in a city and certainly not on natural rock. Personally, I think it’s a good piece of art but I don’t think it’s in the right place.”
“There could be much worse graffiti down there, there could be something totally stupid, but I still don’t think that this is the right setting for something like this.”
23 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Smyrnian | Feb 23, 2013, 06:57 PM EST
TheaterFan - good one!
TheaterFan | Feb 23, 2013, 05:15 PM EST
Regarding the post bythe post by the Spammer marlozaleskas... It's been reported that many of these URLs or SPAM sites that show up on various discussion boards are actually money-laundering operations for Al-Qaeda. So... readers... be wise about what sites you choose to support & how and where you want to spend your money. At the very least, these posters are not honest, reputable people as they sneak in their free advertising on miscellaneous sites. Caveat Emptor
TheaterFan | Feb 23, 2013, 05:05 PM EST
Perhaps justice has already been done... maybe the "artist" dropped off into the ocean.
Smyrnian | Feb 22, 2013, 04:48 PM EST
Marloz - Stupid, ranting unrelated comment.
marlozaleskas | Feb 22, 2013, 04:20 PM EST
Nora. although Russell`s bl0g is really cool, last saturday I bought a new Lancia Straton from making $8671 this-past/4 weeks and-over, 10k this past munth. without a doubt it is the nicest work I have ever done. I started this 5 months ago and immediately started bringin in more than $72.. per/hr. I use this here great link,, *-- ℬuzz80.ℂOℳ --*
IrelandNorth | Feb 22, 2013, 01:59 PM EST
Cops are looking for a man called Cliff in a Mohair suit.
IrelandNorth | Feb 22, 2013, 01:58 PM EST
Cops are looking for a man called Cliff in a Mohair suit.
IrelandNorth | Feb 22, 2013, 01:56 PM EST
Gardaí are looking for a man called Cliff in a Mohair suit.
anglo-norman | Feb 22, 2013, 12:36 AM EST
Dumb
Smyrnian | Feb 21, 2013, 08:49 PM EST
That vandals mess is certainly not 'art'.
pilib04 | Feb 21, 2013, 08:18 PM EST
Brolaur points out that Clare County Council now runs the parking concession for the Cliffs.I had completely forgotten about how the Cliffs were turned into a tourist trap. Maybe the artwork is a protest!
Smyrnian | Feb 21, 2013, 05:28 PM EST
It's not art and it was not done by an artist. It is a deliberate, criminal act committed by some morar who wants to inflict damage to public property. Disgusting.
JohnnyMac | Feb 21, 2013, 04:34 PM EST
Such a horrible crime indeed. Hopefully some sort of sand or media blaster might be used to remove the surface layer to somewhat restore the natural beauty. Such a shame.
WoundedKnee | Feb 21, 2013, 04:19 PM EST
The culprit has nothing to worry about if he's caught. Ireland has a truly contemptible record in preserving and defending its patrimony. To take just one example, just a few years ago a group of people broke into the medieval crypts of Dublin's St Michan's Church. They then proceeded to play football and goodness knows what else with the bodies that had lain in peace since 1400 or so. They left the place in chaos. When the culprits were brought before a "judge" (if there is such a thing in Ireland) he said he was disappointed with them and let them go free.
Butch1 | Feb 21, 2013, 03:40 PM EST
This is horrible that someone would need to do this to a national Irish treasure like this. What is wrong with people that they do not respect anything anymore? Others would like to view it in its original state without it being defiled with graffiti all over it.
murphy666 | Feb 21, 2013, 03:29 PM EST
Make that "graffito."
murphy666 | Feb 21, 2013, 03:25 PM EST
"Graffiti" is the plural of "greffito."
WoundedKnee | Feb 21, 2013, 02:05 PM EST
Let's hope this guy goes up again to spray his grafitti. And falls 500 feet on his ass.
cillowen | Feb 21, 2013, 01:53 PM EST
some dauber this crayon wielder - defective one
IrelandNorth | Feb 21, 2013, 01:33 PM EST
"Kilroy woz 'ere!" Aaarrghhh - THUD - SPLAT.
TisEyerish | Feb 21, 2013, 12:26 PM EST
Why would anyone think it's okay to deface these incredible Cliffs, which are works of art in and of themselves. Catch the guy and cut off his hands. He should be ashamed of himself.
Brolaur | Feb 21, 2013, 12:16 PM EST
Clare Co. Council has already ruined "The Cliffs" experience with it's parking charges and other changes. It has killed the GOOSE.
johnshiel | Feb 21, 2013, 11:55 AM EST
so: the cliffs are to become a propaganda tool for even more big government?