Drummin Lane Reopens

Latest press release from Kieran O’Byrne at Kelly Environmental Services…

Kelly Environmental Services, Wicklow’s leading drain and liquid waste specialists, who employ 23 people in their Wicklow based drain and plumbing business, said today that they have opened a section of their land to allow walkers in the locality, access from Farrankelly Road to Drummin Lane.

Speaking at the announcement, Gillian Kelly, Managing Director of Kelly Environmental Services said that “we were approached by the County Council, local Councillors and the County Wicklow Partnership and asked to provide access across our lands. We are delighted to announce that we have opened the gates across our land, but are still concerned about the potential anti-social behaviour that used to take place along the track, especially at night time. We want to make it safer for everyone who uses our land to access Drummin Lane. To this end we have also cut back a narrow strip of grass along the lane to enable people to walk on a short grass “path” rather than through nettle beds, while being ever considerate about the wildflower habitat either side of the cut area and along the lane.”

Councillor Gerry Walsh, executive on the Wicklow Tourism Board and Pat Mellon, Rural Recreation Officer, County Wicklow Partnership and Chairman of the Wicklow Tourism Board and Board Member of Wicklow Uplands Council, have been working with the Kellys on access across their lands. The Kellys also plan on developing the wild native hedgerow that runs along the stream and have ensured that this habitat is not disturbed at this time. They intend planting the wild hawthorn, cherry and hazel hedgerow later in the season with more native plants and hopefully develop a wildflower “edge” to the cut grass along the lane in due course, encouraging wildflowers, insects and wild birds.

“The remainder of the lane along the side of our home will be marked and we ask walkers to take care as they cross our property. We would also ask that people walking with dogs to please keep their dogs on a lead as there is livestock loose in nearby fields.

“We had an incident last year where two ewes in lamb were killed by a dog off its lead,” Gillian added.

You can get a very different view of this story – from the other side of the high-rise fence – right about here.