Point taken Eddie, there is always talk about this sort of thing but the wheels of bureaucracy move slowly. That said, the prospect of Gormo being converted to housing has been given added impetus by a recent Government initiative on affordable housing and, in fairness, Gormo would be a dead ringer for same given that the site straddles a suburban rail connection to Dublin.
Incidently, on this point, is there any liasion arrangement between firing control at Gormo and the railway signalling people as presumably you cannot have aircraft flying in over the line with guns armed in the event that a premature discharge ends up in an unintentional strafing of a passing train. Ditto with the AA guns presumably they must cease firing on the approach of a train on this quite busy line? So is there any liasion arrangement in place?
As regards your mention of Donegal as a possible alternative range, the only significan Defence property there is at Finner camp where there is an infantry training area in the dunes. And the immediate coastal area there is not subject to much in the way of sailing or boat use. That said, the proximity of Bundoran town would probably rule out its use for Air or AA firing, most certainly in the summer months.
