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Daily Record
23-05-2025
- Daily Record
Ayrshire MSPs support calls for visitors to enjoy beaches safely
Cunninghame South MSP Ruth Maguire and Carrick Cumnock and Doon Valley MSP Elena Whitham have called on the public to enjoy our beaches safely Ayrshire 's costal MSPs are supporting calls for people to enjoy our beaches safely and responsibly. Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, and Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, have echoed the message to be responsible when at the beach. Ms Maguire's constituency includes Irvine Beach - the location where 16-year-old teenager Kayden Moy was fatally injured last weekend, Saturday, May 17. Speaking to Ayrshire Live, Ms Maguire said: 'Here in Ayrshire, we are blessed with a beautiful coastline and wonderful beaches. Unsurprisingly, in good weather many visitors of all ages flock to the area. 'They should be a clean, safe place for all to enjoy. Sadly, last week that was not the case at Irvine and the tragic death of Kayden Moy has rocked the community both in Irvine and East Kilbride. My thoughts and prayers are with Kayden's family and all who loved him. 'Regular updates from Police Scotland have been reassuring and I know they have provided additional patrols in the area alongside existing work taking place as part of Safer Shores. 'I am grateful to all involved in the Safer Shores initiative, including the volunteers at Coastwatch and Irvine Clean Up Crew for their tireless work to keep the beach safe and clean. But, maintaining our beautiful beach as somewhere desirable for all to use is not just down to the police, local authority or volunteers who so generously give their time. 'The appalling levels of litter strewn across Irvine Beach after each hot day is all brought there by individuals of all ages. It is not just food and drink containers being dropped but also towels and items of clothing. 'It is hard to understand the mindset of those who would litter and waste in this way, surely if you can carry it in, you can carry it home - please do so. 'I would echo the message of the Safer Shores initiative; No alcohol, No fires, No vandalism, No loud music, No drugs - Be respectful. 'Like many who live here, I'm proud that our town attracts people from far and wide, visitors are welcome. My sincere hope is that in the coming summer months we all play our part in keeping each other safe and our beach beautiful for everyone to enjoy.' Ms Whitham's constituency is one of four Ayrshire constituencies which include costal communities. She said: 'With our beautiful and accessible beaches, it has long been the case that folk from all over travel to enjoy the Ayrshire coast especially when the sun is shining. 'Every one of them have the right to return home safely. It is incomprehensible that Kayden Moy didn't. My thoughts are with all his family and friends during this heart-breaking time. 'The residents along our shores are all too familiar with the anti-social behaviour that we see each year. 'Everyone heading to the beach has a part to play in keeping it a safe and enjoyable space for all. That means no alcohol on the beach, tidying up after yourself, and looking after your health by staying hydrated and using sunscreen. 'This summer, the Safer Shores initiative will see increased police patrols along our coast. This sends a clear message: anti-social behaviour won't be tolerated, and anyone caught breaking the rules will face enforcement action.'
Irish Examiner
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Tots to Teens: Life's a beach with Cork seashore tour
It's National Biodiversity Week, and events are taking place all across the country to encourage families to explore our rich variety of wildlife. One of these events will take place on Fountainstown beach in Cork, from 9.30am to 11.30am this Saturday, May 24. Organised by the Environmental Forum, in partnership with Coastwatch and the Irish Wildlife Trust, it will be led by three marine ecologists. Karin Dubsky of Coastwatch will demonstrate water testing and bioindicator monitoring. Grace Carr, of the Irish Wildlife Trust, will talk about the rays and sharks that inhabit Irish waters and how well-managed marine protected areas help them. And Bernie Connolly, from the Environmental Forum, will explain how intertidal areas and rockpools impact species and ecosystems. This event is free and suitable for nature lovers of all ages. Book your spot at See for other events near you. Adventure story Tom Cream: Irish Antarctic Hero (O'Brien Books) €14.99 For readers aged eight and up, Tom Cream: Irish Antarctic Hero is a thrilling story about his adventures on the high seas. This graphic novel follows a poor West Kerry farmer, who runs away from home in 1893 and ends up playing a major role in three pioneering South Pole expeditions. With words by author Michael Smith, illustrations by artist David Butler, and lettering by Louise McSharry, it's a gripping story of hardships, hazards, and incredible bravery in the frozen wilderness. * Tom Cream: Irish Antarctic Hero (O'Brien Books) €14.99 GAA skills Little Puckers is an award-winning children's playgroup for aspiring GAA stars. It holds Gaelic games-themed play sessions for children aged 18 months to five years in locations nationwide. These sessions focus on the fundamental skills needed for Gaelic football and hurling. The aim is for little ones to have fun, while being introduced to our traditional sports. Prices vary, but cost approximately €10 per session. Budding gardener BeoVERDE is a family-run business in southwest Dublin that sells sustainable, high-quality toys, books, and organic children's clothing Get your children involved in gardening this summer with this tool set. It's from BeoVERDE, a family-run business in southwest Dublin that sells sustainable, high-quality toys, books, and organic children's clothing. The tool set is made of robust wood and metal and includes a hand fork, rake, and trowel — in short, everything a budding gardener needs. It's suitable for children aged three and older and costs €8, from The sensitive child Up to 30% of children are considered highly sensitive. This means they experience the world more intensely than others, which makes them more prone to anxiety, meltdowns, and other overwhelming feelings. Chartered counselling psychologist Dr Aoife Durcan has written a book to help parents better understand their sensitive children, respond to their emotions in a supportive way, and help them thrive in a world that can often be stressful and challenging to navigate. Your Highly Sensitive Child – Helping Your Child Flourish in an Overwhelming World , by Dr Aoife Durcan, €18.99 Motherhood podcast Keelin Moncrieff. Picture: Moya Nolan Mother, a podcast brought to us by the team at and hosted by Keelin Moncrieff, explores motherhood and the impact becoming a mother can have on a woman's work, friends, body image, relationships, and sense of self. Since its launch last summer, Keelin Moncrieff has interviewed well-known Irish mammies such as Louise McSharry, Melanie Murphy, and Emma Doran, as well as ones who don't have a public profile, but who do interesting work in areas such as fitness, fashion, sexual education, and fertility. You'll find three seasons of Mother available to download on Spotify and Apple Podcasts Read More Why you should think twice before posting photos and videos of kids on social media
Irish Times
09-05-2025
- Science
- Irish Times
Shellfish dredging wiping out key carbon-catching seagrass meadows, Coastwatch warns
Dredging for shellfish in some of Ireland's most sensitive marine areas is wiping out seagrass meadows that play a critical role in capturing vast amounts of carbon and in enriching biodiversity , according to Coastwatch . Following the environmental group's discovery this week of the latest evidence of seagrass destruction, at Elly Bay in Co Mayo, it has called on the Government to ensure 'no more bottom dredging in protected sites with sensitive features'. This was necessary 'so seagrass can do its carbon-capture job' and ensure biodiversity-rich areas are preserved in places under the umbrella of marine protected areas (MPAs), said Coastwatch director Karin Dubsky. This was needed 'to address both biodiversity and climate change crises'. Decline of seagrass underlined the need to switch to 'managed, licensed shellfish diving and gathering, with licences reserved for traditional scallop and native oyster fishermen', she said. The fishers' local knowledge and stock-protection traditions, combined with the right diving skills and scientific knowledge was the way effective MPA management could work. READ MORE Last Sunday, Coastwatch regional co-ordinator Sam Moran assessed seagrass ( Zostera marina ) meadows in Elly Bay, part of a special area of conservation (SAC) known as the Mullet/Blacksod Bay Complex. He free dived with a simple underwater camera and recorded healthy but thin seagrass with spiny crabs and other sea life, Ms Dubsky said, but also 'the odd reef hump teeming with life, interrupted by large areas of recently ripped up sea floor with empty shells. He even found a lost dredge with the damaged seabed running up to it'. This was the latest evidence of extensive damage by dredging in important marine ecosystems around the Irish coast, she added. [ Deposit return scheme leads to 'massive reduction' in plastic bottles and drinks containers found on shores by Coastwatch Opens in new window ] 'This is in one of our prime, internationally protected sites, which also hosts seagrass, the most valuable carbon store and fish nursery area. Yet we see boats licensed to dredge here. Licensed damage has to stop. We call on Government to halt dredging in and around seagrass, foster site restoration and management with local, traditional knowledge,' she said. Mr Moran said he believed the area could recover if dredging were halted. 'Looking at the ground and shelter here, there is huge potential for seagrass meadows to expand. This would provide a return in more shellfish, fish and other sea life which needs healthy seagrass meadows to flourish,' Mr Moran added. He said he was shocked this practice was going on in such an important ecological area, and by the dredge abandoned on the seabed. Spider crab in a depleted seagrass meadow in Elly Bay off Belmullet in Co Mayo. Photograph: Sam Moran Coastwatch Ms Dubsky said a Government decision to stop dredging in MPAs would be an apt 99th birthday present for environmentalist and film-maker David Attenborough, coinciding with the release of his new documentary Ocean. Separate to the film displaying 'the awe of the beauty and complexity of our underwater world', she said it conveyed 'sadness and frustration as more and more of our seas are being damaged by ever-growing variety and intensity of human activities'. While it brought some hope of turning things around before it's too late, she said the same pressures were evident on Irish seas. 'You can see both beauty and damage yourself right here in Ireland,' she added. The dredges used in Elly Bay 'aren't huge like those shown in David Attenborough's Ocean film, but we see how they can still do the seagrass damage – think of sensitive parts of your body where a poke can do real damage, while others might just get bruised and be grand'. 'Adequate monitoring and enforcement, as well as a publicity campaign to highlight this transformative change, would bring more ecotourism and a top price for shellfish selected for size right there at the seafloor,' she added. Inland Fisheries Ireland is responsible for issuing oyster dredge licences, while enforcement comes under the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS). The NPWS was asked to comment on concerns raised by Coastwtch.
