Wandering horses cause damage to soccer pitch

November 1986

The long-running saga of wandering horses in Little Bray is now to be taken up with Dublin County Council.

Members of Bray Urban Council are to seek a deputation meeting with their counterparts in Dublin to press for action from them against itinerant horses wandering into the town across the boundary between the two authorities.

According to Cllr Liz McManus at this week’s meeting of Bray UDC, Dublin County Council have washed their hands of responsibility over the matter.

Calling for an immediate approach to them, Cllr McManus said the question of housing for travellers and settling their horses would have to be solved once and for all.

This latest episode in the long-running row was sparked off earlier in the meeting when Cllr Brigid Hannon complained that the horses had recently caused severe damage to a football pitch in Fassaroe on which the council had spent £8,000. She alleged that people were bringing their horses to the area to breed them.

Cllr Noel Keyes said that the only solution would be to make sure the horses exited and entered the Bray area along the Old Conna Road in Dublin County Council’s area.

He was convinced that such a situation wouldn’t be tolerated for long by the wealthy residents of the area who would take action to prevent it.

Town engineer, Kevin Conway, said the only way to keep the horses out would be to build a wall which would cost in the region of £40,000.

But Cllr PAt Vance suggested that in view of the countless thousands of pounds worth of damage caused by the horses over the years, this might be a cheaper solution.

Cllr Ciaran Murphy suggested hitting the horse owners in their pockets by identifying them and taking legal action against them.