Keep Ireland Open

I've been following the Keep Ireland Open website (http://www.keepirelandopen.org)  for a number of years now. They campaign for better countryside access in the Republic of Ireland. They have a tough job on their hands and I wish them well.

I've sometimes thought that some of their rhetoric to be, well, a little whiney, a little negative, and often downright confrontational and abrasive.  I can't really blame them, because the situation 'down south' is pretty dire from a countryside access point of view and it must be downright frustrating to be (or at least appear to be) that lone voice crying in the wilderness.

However, perhaps a change of tactics are in order. Instead of simply complaining about the poor legislative framework and general all round lack of access, I've always thought they would be better spending their time building relationships with those who would benefit from an overhaul of the countryside access laws. It shouldn't take too long to realise who these groups are. A long term strategy to change hearts and minds is what will eventually tip the balance politically.

Of course to do all this requires getting your facts straight, and making sure the story you tell is a convincing and compelling one. An idea can be overwhelmingly powerful, but only if it makes sense, if it has logic and right on its side. To this end, its good to see them listing some nice stats on their Spring 2013 newletter. Keep it up guys, and start thinking about that strategy.