Famous cliffs move on the map

Google Maps should be the all-knowing geographic assistant that gets you where you need to go. But after some botched navigation in west Donegal, one local councillor says she has trust issues.

Visitors and locals alike rely more and more on the Android app for plotting routes, finding businesses, scoping out neighbourhoods, booking hotel rooms, exploring destinations, figuring location but up here in Donegal, it's different.

Independent Cllr Niamh Kennedy raised her concerns at Tuesday afternoon's meeting of the Donegal Municipal District.

She said it appears Google Maps may be leading tourists to Gaoth Dobhair in search of the highest sea cliffs in Europe at Sliabh Liag, which are outside Teelin - over an hour's driving or approximately 50 miles away!

It has also caused locals to go "crazy" near the cliff car park due to congestion and even converted a school in Killybegs to a prison, she claimed.

Cllr Kennedy explained what the issues are.

“A couple of pages on Facebook have shown that Sliabh Liag is now in Gaoth Dobhair. I think someone just goes in and says this is the location they are on their phone and it's causing a lot of confusion.

“People in the Sliabh Liag area are very, very worried that a lot of their tourist traffic could go in the opposite direction.

“It is so easy for somebody to put on locations saying they are in Gaoth Dobhair but when they were actually at Sliabh Liag. Surely it should be easy for Google to remove a location?”

She added another instance that showed that St Catherine's Vocational School in Killybegs was being marked as a prison on Google Maps.

“Obviously some kid put that in for the craic but if it's that easy to do, we need to be careful. We need to know for the council's economic development and IT purposes that we're going in the right direction and not going to Gaoth Dobhair to see Sliabh Liag."

She added that such Google Maps mishaps have taken travellers and locals alike on accidental detours in other areas near the Sliabh Liag cliffs too.

“Another problem was the fact that Google Maps is taking visitors up the road to Pilgrim's Path and not Bunglas and the cliffs where they wanted people to go.

“It's causing huge congestion on the road. It's a very small car park and people can't get turned and at times the gardaí have been called. The locals are going crazy. We've reported this to Google Maps.”

It was agreed the matter would go back to the council's Economic Development, Information System, and Emergency Services section to work on a solution.