By Dan Walsh
It was an early morning on Ballymoney beach today (Friday) where the Cathaoirleach of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council, Cllr Pip Breen said he was “delighted to open Matthew’s Way”, a new disability access point for the beach funded by Wexford County Council.”
Cllr Breen stated that “this project would not have happened without the drive and determination of Matthew McGrath, an inspirational young man,” and he congratulated everybody involved.
Amongst those in attendance were Cllr Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, Leas-Cathaoirleach, Cllrs Andrew Bolger and Joe Sullivan, Senator Malcolm Byrne, local Green Party candidate in the local elections Ann Walsh, Philip Knight, District Manager and Gerry Forde, Senior Engineer at the Environmental Section of Wexford County Council.
It is named appropriately Matthew’s Way as a tribute to Life with No Limits champion, Matthew McGrath who started a campaign to get access to his local beach in Ballymoney, Gorey, because, as a wheelchair user, he had no access to it.
“I am surrounded by beautiful beaches that I cannot access in my wheelchair. My family and friends are sea swimmers, and I cannot join them on the beach because there are no accessible paths or trails,” Matthew told WexfordLocal.com, and added; “I hope this will be the first of many access projects that I will work on to make our beaches accessible for everyone. We need more access to our local beaches. I go to Ballymoney every weekend so I should be able to get onto the beach here like everyone else.”
WexfordLocal.com 