A convoy of tractors and cars rolled into Dundalk from the Cooley Peninsula in a show of opposition to a proposed greenway in the area.
The proposed Dundalk Bay to Carlingford Greenway would connect with the existing Carlingford Lough Greenway, leading to a continuous cross-border greenway from Dundalk in Co Louth to Newry, Co Down.
It is a Louth County Council project in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
The convoy, involving dozens of tractors, lorries and cars, arrived at Louth County Council's offices at the County Hall shortly after 10am.
A large crowd of campaigners and supporters - including farmers and landowners - gathered with signs that read 'Cooley Peninsula says no to Greenway' and 'Hands off our property'.
A petition with more than 2,300 signatures was presented to elected members of Louth County Council.
In a statement, Louth County Council said it acknowledges all submissions made during the non-statutory process for the proposed Carlingford to Dundalk Greenway, including those which were delivered to County Hall.
"Louth County Council welcomes this public feedback, as it will be used to assist the design team in determining the Preferred Route Corridor which will be presented at the Third Public Consultation, envisaged to take place later this year."
The local authority said drawings and brochures were available on the dedicated project website.
The study area for the project encompasses the regional centre of Dundalk and Carlingford, as well as the interconnecting road network.
According to the project website, there is no provision for pedestrians or cyclists along the main R173 road or other regional and local roads in the study.
"High vehicle speeds, narrow road widths and lack of segregated facilities make the road network unattractive for pedestrians and cyclists," it said.
Sheep representative of the Louth IFA, Matthew McGreehan, and is involved in the Protect Cooley Peninsula Campaign.
"I'm against the greenway being forced through our land," he said.
"Why would we sit back and allow our fields to be ripped up and a gravel path installed, where no more we would be able to grow corn, or potatoes or fatten our livestock?
"Why would we sit back and this crowd in here won't allow our young people build houses or get planning permission, yet they're going to force this gravel path through our land. Why would we just sit back?" he said.
Mr McGreehan also raised concerns of campaigners that compulsory purchase orders could possibly be used to facilitate this greenway.
He said that landowners had already cooperated with different walks on the Cooley mountains.
"I have no doubt in my mind this won't happen. The greenway will not happen in the Cooley Peninsula.
"There's no need for it. There's a walkway there already from Carlingford to Greenore," he said.
Farmer and landowner Eileen Smith said the proposals could affect three of her fields.
"It's terrible, I don't oppose a greenway, but when it's running through agricultural land and dividing land, it's an awful injustice to people," she said.
"It's going to be split right through the middle, it's going through three different fields. It's unnecessary," she said.
Ms Smith said there was plenty of room on the main road to make a greenway instead.
Another farmer from the peninsula, Josephine O'Doherty, said the people had not been asked what they want.
"People in Dublin got a map and just drew lines all over it," she said.
"They've never actually set foot on my property and they have lines all through it," she said.
She instead suggested that rock armour should be installed along the shore to protect it and to put the greenway on the shore.
The original deadline for submissions was extended by five weeks to Friday 6 September.
