Unreasonable neighbours in countryside

What are farmers rights in relation to intimidation and harassment when going about their day to day agricultural activities?

Our female neighbours (not born or raised in Ireland) have been constantly complaining and harassing us about everything and anything for the last number of years. They are ladies with city ideas of what living in the countryside should be like. They basically want us to stop farming around their property.

Constant complaints about countryside 'smells' and removal of anything obstructing their 'view.' We ignore and get on with our day to day activities, cause you just could not argue or win with these ‘ladies’.

They've escalated to new lows now - lying to different departments in local county council all have been deemed unfounded and all files are closed. They just move onto something else or some other department to complain to.

They've entered our property and threatened to let the cattle out. All in the hope perhaps that we'll flip out some day and then theyill run to the guards with some made up story. We've gotten two finger salutes, dirty looks, one male partner threatening bodily harm (and then over to UK on a plane early next am).

The list is endless and we are keeping a log of everything they have ever said or done. Hopefully they will stop this nonsense and eventually get a life for themselves.

Anyone have neighbours like this beside them?

Any words of advice.

Have you spoken to a solicitor about this? I think you should. also have you reported the threats to the Gardaí
Not quite sure if there would be a charge under public order act or some other law.

While I empathise with your situation rows with neighbours in rural Ireland are hardly anything new!

Having said that over the last few decades thousands of people have moved to rural parts of Ireland from other urban areas of Ireland, Britain and and Continental Europe.

What you are describing is a classic culture clash and Im not sure that there is any easy resolution.

I think you should speak with a good sensible solicitor with experience in rural matters.

You could also try to contact the IFA or other farmers representative bodies. Perhaps you could contact the Farmers Journal to see if they have covered the generalities of the situation.

I wonder whether there are any forums dedicated to the needs of farmers in rural Ireland?

aj

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Thanks for the responses. Will check things out further.

Dont be too nice on these matters. People like these neighbours dont change. We have same and we took the quiet route but it did not work they continued to intimidate us on anything they could think of. Calling the guards when our dog was in our front garden. And surprise! the gards came up and checked out the situation. They called the guards again over the same matter, again the guards came to us. I am sure if I rang the guards over something they would not be so prompt.
Do consult a solicitor and be guided by them. Get your solicitor to write if necessary.
When you live in the country you must expect country things.
We also lived in the Country at one time. We experienced various smells but thought that is what living in the country is about. We had neighbours cattle destroy our lawn a number of times. Neighbours called to check the damage but decent people dont exploit their neighbours, cattle break out.
One neighbour caused this damage several times and last time he called we asked him to buy some wire fencing and we would help him mend the areas where the cattle were breaking out.
Our children sometimes enjoyed the facility of their fields too. One one occasion our children and the neighbours children were playing in his hay field on the stucks of hay. He came to see the children and asked them to keep an eye on his field as damage was being done by someone. The children watched the field and did no more damage. What a good neighbour - we no longer live in the country and we miss the good neighbours.
Good luck Browtal

Thank you for your response. We will probably speak with a solicitor. Possibly the only solution right now, given how so out of control they have gotten. It amazes me how people can be so nasty, warped and unstable for no good reason.

As a general cynical view of the world, people take liberties when they think they can get away with it.

You can see that with the criminal families, elements of the travelling community etc.

So the only solution is to act tough, by that I mean show them that you know the law and are prepared to use it. Fair play to you for not fighting fire with fire (stooping to their level), because ultimately the guards and the courts should favour the one coming to court "with clean hands".

I'd agree with everyone else here, you need to get a few "scores on the board", talk to your solicitor. Have a chat with the local guards and give them your view - in my experience the majority of guards are reasonable types and probably have more sympathy with your plight than the point of view of your neighbours (especially if they've been out on fools errands before).

The only other thing you can do is make sure you are squeaky clean - overdo the fencing so sure no breakouts, be careful on pollution control, dates for spreading slurry, go handy on the local roads in tractors etc. etc.

Get a camcorder - and let them see that you are recording all their little outbursts.