Village now has its own 'bridge to nowhere'

Feelings about the road, which includes an iron bridge, were raised once more last week, when the landowner on one side of the waterway erected a steel barricade preventing all road users from accessing the road.

Local people said a large number use the road on a daily basis to ferry their children to and from the local primary schools, cricketers use the route to get to the club, and the road is also extensively used by anglers as an access route to the river. However, since last week the route has been sectioned off following the erection of a formidable metal barrier by the landowner on one side.

While a spokesperson for the Council said the Council was pursuing legislation to have the route designated a right of way and was "committed to working closely with all concerned parties to have this matter resolved as soon as possible", Ciaran Hampson, a spokesman for the landowners, Samuel and Madeline Condit, said the landowners were resolved to defend their case.

"The process by the Council is being objected to and will be contested," Mr Hampson said.

The impasse has disappointed Ardmore CC member Bobby Brolly, who said people associated with the club were now very inconvenienced, not least those who were greenkeepers, and had to travel five miles or more to the Cricket Club grounds.

Resident Hugo McDermott said the blocking of the route meant those bringing children to and from the local schools now had to make a considerable detour.