Has Kerry's famous Gap of Dunloe become too popular?

 A family take a leisurely afternoon drive on a jaunting car followed by a stream of traffic through the narrow road at the Gap of Dunloe, Co. Kerry.  Picture: David Creedon / Anzenberger

Kerry County Council is launching a public consultation into the iconic Gap of Dunloe, a 12 km long mountain pass that is home to less than 100 people but is used by hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

The world-renowned attraction, one of the best examples of a glaciated valley in Europe, is now at or above capacity, and the visitor experience is being diminished, the council has heard. 

Even in the middle of a pandemic this summer, visitors continued to flock to the area.

The scenic Gap, rising dramatically in the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks before dipping into the Black Valley, has been noted as a destination since Victorian times.

It is home to about 70 people, most involved in farming. 

Safety concerns

Three years ago a delegation told a council meeting they are worried about safety, their own as well as that of visitors, and they felt exploited by outside tour operators.

Large groups were arriving into the Gap without any notice.

Life was becoming impossible because of the sheer numbers arriving, combined with lack of proper infrastructure, the residents outlined.

The success of the Wild Atlantic Way marketing strategy and growth in walking and hill-climbing has seen numbers spiral.

There have also been accidents. 

An inquest into the death in May 2017 of American tourist Janet Price (69), after she lost control of her bike at a bad bend, heard how farming vehicles, pony traps, cars, cyclists and walkers all shared the and single-lane crowded public road.

Public consultation

In an announcement on Monday, Kerry County Council has said it is undertaking “a broad public consultation” over the coming months about how the Gap of Dunloe area should be managed into the future.

Kerry County Council is undertaking a public consultation to seek the observations and views of members of the public and stakeholders about how the Gap of Dunloe should be managed into the future.

For more information and to have your say, please see: https://t.co/aSZorZQCk8 pic.twitter.com/NlA65om5yN

— Kerry County Council - Comhairle Contae Chiarraí (@countykerry) November 9, 2020

It wants “many perspectives” including people from the tourism, transport, and environment sectors.  

The Gap is “a significant attraction for visitors from around Ireland and around the world. It is one of the finest examples of a glaciated valley in Western Europe and is world-renowned for its scenery", the council said.

Wishing Bridge at the Gap Of Dunloe, County Kerry.

It is also an environmentally sensitive area and is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), being part of the Killarney National Park, MacGillycuddy's Reeks and Caragh River Catchment SAC.

“It is important therefore that the Gap of Dunloe is treated sensitively, protected and carefully managed,” a spokesman for the council added.

The consultation is necessary because congestion and delays during the tourist season on the road through the Gap of Dunloe are being experienced more frequently in recent years by both visiting and local road users.

This is leading to a diminution of the experience for some visitors and is also making it more challenging for residents in the locality

The year 2020 has seen "significant" visitor numbers of domestic tourists, the council said.

The consultation over the next months includes a publicity campaign, notification to the relevant state agencies, and engagement with community and business stakeholders and a letter drop locally. 

 Observations and submission can be made in writing and marked ‘Gap of Dunloe Public Consultation,’ Administrative Officer, Kerry County Council, Roads, Transportation and Marine, Room 115, Áras an Chontae, Rathass, Tralee, Co. Kerry or by e-mail to: [e-mail]. The closing date for the receipt of submissions is 29 January 2021.