Privacy Policy | Earthsounding

This Privacy Policy describes how earthsounding (earthsounding Limited) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you visit our website and learn about our guided walks through the Ennis Friary grounds and River Fergus bank paths. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data responsibly and transparently.

Who We Are

We operate guided heritage walks designed for retirees exploring the historical Ennis Friary and the scenic paths along the River Fergus in County Clare. We are the data controller responsible for your personal information collected through our website and booking processes. Our commitment is to provide you with excellent service while respecting your privacy rights under Irish and European data protection laws.

Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways:

Contact Information: When you inquire about our walks or make a booking, we collect your name, email address, phone number, and postal address.
Booking Details: Information about which walks you're interested in, dates, group size, and any accessibility requirements.
Usage Data: When you browse our website, we automatically collect information about your device, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on our site through cookies and analytics tools.
Communication Records: We keep records of any correspondence you have with us via email or phone.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information on the following legal bases:

Consent: When you provide consent by filling out a contact form or subscribing to our updates.
Contract Performance: To fulfill our obligations when you book a walk with us.
Legitimate Interest: To improve our services, maintain our website security, and understand how visitors use our site.
Legal Obligation: To comply with Irish tax and accounting requirements.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

Processing and managing your walk bookings and payments
Sending you confirmation details, reminders, and updates about your booked walks
Responding to your inquiries and providing customer support
Improving our website functionality and user experience
Analyzing website traffic and visitor behavior through analytics
Complying with legal obligations and tax requirements
Sending marketing communications (only with your consent)

We do not share your personal information with third parties except where necessary to provide our services or where legally required. Our payment processing partners may access payment information to process transactions securely.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for specific periods based on the type of data:

Booking Information: Retained for 36 months following your last walk booking, to assist with future bookings and for legal compliance.
Contact Form Inquiries: Retained for 24 months after your last interaction with us, unless you have made a booking.
Website Analytics and Cookie Data: Retained for up to 14 months to understand visitor patterns and improve our site.
Email Communications: Retained for 24 months unless you request deletion earlier.
Server Logs: Retained for up to 12 months for security and troubleshooting purposes.
Payment Records: Retained for 7 years in accordance with Irish tax requirements.

After these retention periods, we securely delete or anonymize your data. You may request earlier deletion at any time, subject to legal obligations.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and track website usage. We use the following types of cookies:

Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality and security.
Analytical Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our site to improve functionality.
Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver personalized content and measure marketing effectiveness (only with consent).

You can control cookies through your browser settings and have the option to accept or decline non-essential cookies when you first visit our website.

Your Rights

Under Irish and European data protection law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right of Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Right to Correction: You can ask us to correct or update any inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to Erasure: You can request deletion of your data, subject to legal obligations.
Right to Restrict Processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your information.
Right to Data Portability: You can request your information in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to Object: You can object to certain processing activities, including marketing communications.
Right to Lodge a Complaint: You have the right to file a complaint with the Data Protection Commission (DPC) of Ireland if you believe we have violated your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the Contact Us section below.

Supervisory Authority

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data or wish to lodge a formal complaint, you have the right to contact the Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is the independent authority responsible for data protection in Ireland. You can file a complaint with the DPC even if you have not first raised the matter with us, though we encourage you to contact us first so we can address your concerns directly.

Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. We encourage you to use strong passwords and keep your account information confidential.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites and services that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy applies only to our website. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. Any updates will be posted on this page with the date of the last revision. Your continued use of our website after changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy regularly to stay informed about how we protect your information.