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A new weight restriction on the Dursey Island Cable Car in Ireland threatens to impede the flow of . . . cattle?

A few highlights from around the world of Urban Gondolas, Gondola Transit, and Cable Propelled Transit:

• Cattle farmers on the remote Dursey Island in Ireland are concerned that a weight restriction on the Dursey Island Cable Car will prevent them from moving their livestock to and from the island, effectively destroying a 2,000 year old cattle industry. We mention this only because we previously provided a video clip of this outdated system, but were completely unaware that the system was used for transporting cows. Has anyone else heard of such a practice? If so, please tell us in the comments below.

• The Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum is presenting Design with the Other 90% Cities at the United Nations in New York City. The exhibit chronicles how developing world cities are leveraging design to improve the lives of its citizens. The Medellin Metrocable is among those design solutions. (Voluntary Disclosure: CUP Projects provided photographs to the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt for their coverage of the Medellin Metrocable.)

• Edmonton, Alberta, Canada takes a major step towards installing a cable-drawn funicular system to connect their downtown to the North Saskatchewan River Valley. The Edmonton Journal seems to be the first to break this story, but gets tripped up calling using the word “gondola” as a synonym for “funicular.” No surprise, really, as problems with nomenclature have always been an issue (see here, here or here for example).

• The Mountain Village Owners Association contemplates ways to keep Colorado’s iconoclastic Telluride Mountain Gondola running free of charge. For those unaware, the Telluride gondola is one of the only gondola systems in the world to be 100% from of charge to all users and acts as a local transport system connecting several mountain villages and recreation areas.

• A collection of governments in Southern California contemplate using “alternative technologies” such as funiculars and aerial ropeways to service various municipalities in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

• Back to Ireland: Is that picture up above not the most amazing thing you’ve seen in a while? I think the only thing that tops it for us is Tuffi the Elephant.