By Dan Walsh at Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council Meeting
Cllr Joe Sullivan has long been campaigning for action on the Ahare River (also known as the Kilgorman or Inch River) which flows into the sea at Clone Beach in North Wexford and he alerted members to current events at Tuesday’s monthly meeting of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council held in the Civic Centre chamber in Gorey.
“The Ahare River has turned left and is heading north and there is a huge movement of sand and is destroying the beach as well,” said Cllr Sullivan who asked George Colfer, Environment Officer, if some kind of channel could be cut to assist the water levels like that done a few weeks ago at Tacumshane Lake in the southern region of Our Lady’s Island?
Cllr Sullivan was shocked at Mr. Colfer’s expert explanation as to why the Ahare River could not be treated like Tacumshane Lake!
He said the channel at Our Lady’s Island was under the National Parks Wildlife service and Wexford County Council performs the channel cutting “where properties are at risk”, and Mr. Colfer concluded that in the case of the Ahare River “no properties were at risk”.
“So, there are one set of rules for Our Lady’s Island and a different set of rules for Kilpatrick and North Wexford,” gasped Cllr Sullivan, who added that the swell of the river had been successfully handled by local farmers for hundreds of years.
Cllr Sullivan said the Ahare River had been managed by local people up to ten years ago. “You can’t beat local knowledge,” he quipped. His main concerns are water spilling onto the public road.
Cllr Pip Breen mentioned a sand bar at Courtown blocking access to the harbour. He also asked Mr. Colfer about issues relating to coastal erosion at Cahore.
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