Illegal encampments return to the Curragh

THE Curragh has seen the return of illegal encampments to its plains this year.

In 2024, more than €185,000 was spent cleaning the Curragh following encampments in the area.

In a recent social media post, Deputy Seán O’Fearghaíl wrote: “I was shocked on Friday afternoon to learn that caravans and other large vehicles had returned to the Curragh Plains.”

Just Three days later, Deputy O’Fearghaill updated that the encampment on the Curragh Plains near Moore’s bridge had been “abandoned.”

“On Wednesday evening the furze bushes which were growing between the encampment and the railway line caught fire.

“The fire and the smoke caused Iarnród Éireann to halt its trains for a period of time.”

“On Thursday legal action taken by the Minister for Defence and his senior officials combined to cause the departure of the people who had been camping.”

Deputy O’Fearghaíl said there is no way of knowing that those at the encampment set the fire.

A Curragh local claimed that a deputation went to see the campers with a letter from the Tánaiste and Minister For Defence Simon Harris to vacate the Curragh encampment.

“They threw the letter back at them, but decided to leave.

“Before leaving they threw all their rubbish over the fence onto the side of the railway track and lit it.

“This caused a fire which interrupted the trains for the afternoon until extinguished.”

Iarnród Eireann confirmed claims of rail delays: “There was a fire adjacent to the line between Newbridge at Kildare.”

“The line was closed between 18:42 and 19:45 on 12 March.”

“There were delays to Intercity and commuter services as a result.”

Deputy O’Fearghaíl compared the Curragh with similar national parks and said that illegal encampments in the likes of Phoenix Park “would be unimaginable.”

He insists that a new “management structure” be established in the area which he said: “needs to be done sooner than later.”

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