Abandoned boats causing damage to scenic West Cork pier, says councillor
The issue was raised at the recent meeting of Cork County Council's Western Division by Schull-based Fine Gael councillor Caroline Cronin.
Ms Cronin said: 'Roaringwater Pier in Aughadown near Skibbereen is a beautiful area. It's a working pier and a popular spot for locals to swim at high tide but there are six abandoned boats sitting around that really spoil the area and they are in the way.'
She added: 'One old, unseaworthy wooden boat is tied up there and blocking part of the public pier. Another boat arrived before Storm Ophelia and has just stayed there ever since.'
Ms Cronin said significant damage had been caused to the pier as the bilge keel of one boat moves with the tide and has made a large hole in the pier wall.
She said: 'You can only see it at low tide from the seabed. The hole was made worse when a big stone was dislodged.'
Ms Cronin said significant damage had been caused to the pier as the bilge keel of one boat moves with the tide and has made a large hole in the pier wall. Photo: Caroline Cronin
Ms Cronin said that other boats are 'just sitting on boat trailers blocking access and have been there for years.
"Can we please ask the owners to remove these boats giving them a specific timeline to have them removed? This place is very special and far too nice to be turned into a dumping ground for old vessels.'
Independent Ireland's Danny Collins said that a similar situation had arisen in Schull and warning signs were posted up around the harbour pier which had a positive effect and most of the boats were removed.
Schull-based Fine Gael councillor Caroline Cronin said: 'One old, unseaworthy wooden boat is tied up there and blocking part of the public pier. Another boat arrived before Storm Ophelia and has just stayed there ever since.' Photo: Caroline Cronin
Divisional manager Michael Lynch said he came from a coastal community himself and it was incumbent on boat owners to take responsibility for their property.
He said: 'There is a bigger picture here and maybe people should not be dumping boats in the first place. People need to take responsibility for their own property.'
Mr Lynch added that the council would look into the matter to see what could be done.
This article is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Read More
Skibbereen to host new West Cork Food Festival
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
24-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Abandoned boats causing damage to scenic West Cork pier, says councillor
A number of boats that have been abandoned at a scenic West Cork pier are causing structural damage as well as spoiling the area's natural beauty, according to a local councillor. The issue was raised at the recent meeting of Cork County Council's Western Division by Schull-based Fine Gael councillor Caroline Cronin. Ms Cronin said: 'Roaringwater Pier in Aughadown near Skibbereen is a beautiful area. It's a working pier and a popular spot for locals to swim at high tide but there are six abandoned boats sitting around that really spoil the area and they are in the way.' She added: 'One old, unseaworthy wooden boat is tied up there and blocking part of the public pier. Another boat arrived before Storm Ophelia and has just stayed there ever since.' Ms Cronin said significant damage had been caused to the pier as the bilge keel of one boat moves with the tide and has made a large hole in the pier wall. She said: 'You can only see it at low tide from the seabed. The hole was made worse when a big stone was dislodged.' Ms Cronin said significant damage had been caused to the pier as the bilge keel of one boat moves with the tide and has made a large hole in the pier wall. Photo: Caroline Cronin Ms Cronin said that other boats are 'just sitting on boat trailers blocking access and have been there for years. "Can we please ask the owners to remove these boats giving them a specific timeline to have them removed? This place is very special and far too nice to be turned into a dumping ground for old vessels.' Independent Ireland's Danny Collins said that a similar situation had arisen in Schull and warning signs were posted up around the harbour pier which had a positive effect and most of the boats were removed. Schull-based Fine Gael councillor Caroline Cronin said: 'One old, unseaworthy wooden boat is tied up there and blocking part of the public pier. Another boat arrived before Storm Ophelia and has just stayed there ever since.' Photo: Caroline Cronin Divisional manager Michael Lynch said he came from a coastal community himself and it was incumbent on boat owners to take responsibility for their property. He said: 'There is a bigger picture here and maybe people should not be dumping boats in the first place. People need to take responsibility for their own property.' Mr Lynch added that the council would look into the matter to see what could be done. This article is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme Read More Skibbereen to host new West Cork Food Festival
Irish Independent
23-07-2025
- Irish Independent
This Cork town became the wettest place in Ireland 20 years ago today according to Met Éireann
But it's being remembered in all its sodden glory this week as the forecaster marks 20 years since 112.9mm of rain fell in Macroom – on July 23, 2005. It was a deluge that has crowned the town as the wettest place in the month of July across Ireland since records began in 1942. Historically rainfall was measured by gauges which collect rain using a funnel with an upper diameter of 127mm and 305mm above ground. In July 1955, Glanmire near Cork city had the lowest monthly precipitation ever recorded with a measly 0.7mm. The highest monthly precipitation in December was recorded in Gernapeka in Cork, with 943.5mm. The highest sustained wind speed within a 10-minute mean recorded in August, October and December was also recorded in Cork. 111km/h was recorded on July 19, in August 2020 during Storm Ellen at Cork's Roches Point, which is the highest record since 1942. The highest gust of wind (3 seconds) was also recorded in the same place during Storm Ellen, with 143km/h. 115km/h was recorded in Cork on October 16, 2017 during Storm Ophelia and 126km/h was logged on Christmas Eve in 1997. Cork has also dealt with the some of the highest and lowest mean sea level pressure (hPa) readings over the years. Cork had the highest hPa twice which are: 1,042.4hPa at Cork Airport on May 12, 2012, and 1,043.8 hPa on Sherkin Island on October 22 in 2018. The lowest hPa for Ireland from Cork include: 942.3 hPa in Midleton on February 4, 1951 and 942.8 hPa at Cork Airport on December 17 in 1989. Three of the highest monthly total sunshine recordings since 1942 were also witnessed in Cork. 118.4 hours at Cork Airport in 2010, 247.7 hours at Sherkin Island also in 2010 and 116.1 hours at Cork Airport in 2016 are the highest statistics for those months. On the flip side, Fermoy in February 1985 recorded just 18.6 hours of sunshine while Sherkin Island recorded a low of 2.8 hours in December 2015. The statistics are from The Weather Extreme Records for Ireland, which are available to view on
Irish Independent
06-06-2025
- Irish Independent
Clare drops to seven Blue Flags as two beaches hit with bathing advisory notices within 48 hours
Routine bathing water samples have shown elevated levels of bacteria at the popular swimming spot, most likely caused by run-off from the catchment after exceptionally heavy rainfall. In accordance with An Taisce's Blue Flag programme, the Blue Flag at this bathing area will be removed until such time as the water quality improves. This is the second beach to have received a bathing advisory notice over the past two days, as heavy rainfall causes havoc along Ireland's west coast. On Wednesday, Fine Gael Clare County Councillor Joe Garrihy said the bathing advisory notice at Spanish Point 'shows the impacts of climate change'. 'We've had a great year this year in Clare with nine Blue Flag beaches given, so, this just highlights the fact that we need to monitor the causes of these things,' he said.
