Countryside Alliance Ireland - love the countryside

Countryside Alliance Ireland is pleased to be able to announce the winner of the Calor Gas BBQ.  Everyone was welcome to enter the free prize draw at the CAI stand at the National Countrysports Fair in Moira, and the lucky winner of the impressive looking BBQ was Karen McMullan of Magheralin.

Thanks to all who entered and we can only hope that some good weather comes along soon to allow Karen to enjoy her new prize.

A second outbreak of a fatal red squirrel disease has been confirmed recently at another location in Northern Ireland. Squirrel Pox, which is carried by the non-native grey squirrel, has been confirmed as the cause of death for two native red squirrels in Glenarm Forest in Co. Antrim.

The disease is carried and spread by grey squirrels which are immune to its effects. It has decimated native red squirrel populations in other parts of the UK, and until recently had not been confirmed in Ireland. Squirrels with squirrel pox have swelling and discharge from lesions around the eyes mouth and feet, and become increasingly lethargic as the disease progresses. Infected animals normally die within 15 days.

Under new legislation, namely the Land and Conveying Act 2009 which was enacted under the previous government in the Dáil, all rights of way now have to be registered with the Land Registry or Registry of Deeds. 

The deadline for this is 30^th November 2012, which may sound like a long time away but any legislative process may sometimes take months. Common examples of rights of way include a farmer accessing his lands through a neighbours land or a home owner accessing the rear of a terraced house by means of a lane way, without the expressed permission of the land owner. 

Under this new Act, a farmer or country sports enthusiast who has been using a right of way to access land all their life could lose that right if it is not registered with the Land Registry or Registry of Deeds within the next 18 months.