Facebook Urged To Crack Down On Cliffs Of Moher Fan Page

Thursday, 05 August 2010 09:57

Written by Pat Flynn

The social networking site Facebook has been asked to remove photographs of daredevil antics at the Cliffs of Moher amid fears that they could encourage similar behaviour among visitors.

The administrators of the Facebook page, who claim it was set up for 'fans' of the Cliffs of Moher, have been criticized for displaying photographs of people hanging over the 700 foot high cliffs while other pictures show visitors walking and cycling along a 3 foot ledge with only a deadly drop to the sea if they missed their footing.

Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience director Ms Katherine Webster has said: “I believe that there is a lot of confusion among Facebook users and some of the fans of the other page have connected to it mistaking it for the official page of the visitor centre. The other Facebook page was set up around about the same time as our page but is not connected with us even though it is categorised as representing the 'museum/attraction'. I did contact the administrators about this confusion but their response was they had set up the page 'to promote interest in the Cliffs.'

Several photos show two mountain bikers dramatically and controversially cycling along a 20 metre stretch of the cliffs in 2006. The ledge on which Hans Rey and Steve Peat cycled was no more than a metre wide and at the time their actions were widely condemned and criticized as 'foolhardy' and 'idiotic'. Mr Rey, a world champion cyclist, has since vowed that he will never repeat the stunt at the cliffs and warned others against attempting what he had done.

Other pictures show people walking along the crumbling cliff edge and climbing over the walls onto an eroded stone ledge. Ms Webster believes by posting photos of dangerous activities it raises expectations that visitors can do some of the crazy and dangerous antics.

North Clare Fine Gael Councillor Martin Conway shares this view and has called on the social networking site to immediately remove the dangerous pictures.

"I have seen these pictures and to say they are shocking is an understatement. They are dangerous, irresponsible and down right disgraceful. The website has an obligation to be responsible and these pictures are highly irresponsible. Nobody should be anywhere near the Cliff edge as it is very very dangerous."

"The rangers employed at the cliffs patrol the Cliff edge and are always advising people not to go beyond the safe area permitted to the public. Unfortunately these pictures are not just making their job very difficult it is also giving thrill seekers unhelpful ideas. I am now calling on facebook to act responsibly and remove these pictures today," the Councillor said.

Page administrator John Lawless has said: "The page is for fans of the cliffs of Moher and not the visitor centre. It is an official page for Cliffs of Moher fans. Any photos shared by fans or posted by any of the administrators are fan postings or freely available online."

Mr Lawless has declined to confirm whether the photos will be removed from the site.