An audit conducted by Sport Ireland in August of last year identified 39 safety issues on the Cliffs of Moher Walking Trail and 78 significant other issues.
Signage was identified as the major issue at the trail with 27 of the 39 safety faults related to a lack of proper signage.
A total of five structural safety faults were identified during the audit, while there were three safety issues involving fencing and three involving surfacing.
The inspection found that visitors were regularly ill-equipped for conditions on the trail, with people ignoring essential warning signs.
The report also said that a humanist wedding took place at the cliffs where participants in the wedding were standing close to the cliff edge.
“The Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk provides walkers, who are adequately prepared for an exposed cliff hike, requiring a high level of fitness, who are properly equipped for rugged and potentially dangerous conditions, with a rewarding trail experience, not without risks usually associated with a trail of the advertised grade ‘strenuous’,” the report stated.
“Warnings about the dangers associated with the walk are given on information boards at each of the trail head locations.
“Most of the walkers using the trail at the time of the inspection were holiday makers and day trippers, often family groups with very young children, unprepared either mentally or physically for the dangers of this exposed and unprotected cliff edge walk.
Andrew Hamilton is a journalist, investigative reporter and podcaster who has been working in the media in Ireland for the past 20 years. His areas of special interest include the environment, mental health and politics.