Boy racers ripping scenic tourist trail apart, say locals

A POPULAR tourist trail used by hill walkers and wind gliders is being destroyed by youths racing cars, particularly at weekends, say residents.

They want more garda patrols at night along the foot of Mount Leinster and along a remote, picturesque stretch which borders the counties of Carlow and Wexford to stamp out such noisy, dangerous activity.

Just last weekend, as many as 100 ‘boy racers’ were seen speeding through the winding roads and across farm land in the region, causing havoc and leaving a trail of destruction behind them, said Green Party deputy leader and local, Mary White.

“This is a wonderful scenic area and it is being ripped apart by what is happening there. These boy racers are doing all sorts of things like hand-break turns and peeling off into lines pitting their skills against one another.

“It is very threatening for anyone who is using the area and it is an accident waiting to happen. I have no problem with boy racers but when people are reporting that this type of thing is happening at such a scenic amenity and are feeling that they are being prevented from using the road, then something has to be done about it,” she said.

Up to 100 of the speeding cars are believed to have gathered at an area known as the Nine Pins on Mt Leinster - part of the Blackstairs Mountains.

The motorists, most of them young men, raced along a public through road that links the village of Borris in Co Carlow and Bunclody in Co Wexford.

The same road is used regularly by locals, tourists and sports enthusiasts including hill walkers and wind gliders.

Residents in Tramore, Co Waterford, have already called for tougher laws and threats of penalty points to deal with the noise and disturbance caused by ‘boy racers’ in their town.

Local councillor, Betty Twomey, lives in Tramore and says the disturbance created by such motorists is something that the seaside town just doesn’t need. The situation is only likely to get worse, she feels.