WexfordLocal.com

Sunday chaos at Courtown and Cahore

By Dan Walsh

A North Wexford public representative is calling on Wexford County Council to place greater focus on coastal resorts on sunny weekends following problems that arose last weekend when huge numbers soaked up the sunshine and placed immense pressure on services.

“While it was fantastic to see so many people back on our beaches, living and breathing freely again, we did have problems, mainly due to lack of facilities, infrastructure and enforcement of bye- laws,” said Cllr Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, who added that there was a lovely atmosphere where he spent the afternoon around Clone and Saleen, but Courtown was choc-a- bloc, which is good to see, “but we’re going to have to do something to tackle the littering problem as it was left filthy after the weekend.”

Cllr Ó Súilleabháin told WexfordLocal.com; “Down at Cahore things were chaotic. Jet Skis racing amongst children on the North Beach at dangerous speeds with some users smoking drugs on the shore while taking a break. We had a similar problem with jet skis in Courtown!

“Parking was crazy – chaotic, with cars abandoned everywhere, and local residents barricaded into their homes by cars, and with no access in or out. If an incident occurred on the North or South beach or at the pier on Sunday it would have been simply impossible for emergency services or the lifeboat to access.

“Hundreds of people but with access to just two portable toilets so one can imagine what were the consequences. This is a health issue that must be addressed as a matter of urgency,” he concluded.

Who wants to live beside the seaside?

By Dan Walsh

Yesterday (Sunday) was the hottest day of the year…so far…and with a small slice of freedom from the 15-month shackles of Covid-19 it was a tonic to inhale fresh air and feel good in mental and physical health.

But the sunshine brings with it -so many problems, especially in relation to coastal areas – all of them by the guidance of geography ends in a cul-de-sac!

On Facebook you will find a litany of complaints; overflowing car parks, parking on yellow lines or opposite the entrance to private property and the possible obstruction of access for emergency vehicles.

Then there are the overflowing bins, people not bringing home their litter and cans, and a declaration of war on premises that sell convenient food without their name on the label and an opportunity to bring forward prosecutions. Obey the signs and always observe the rules… and if you believe that is par for the course… you will be tormented every day!

My sources are questioning how often these bins are emptied? And we must not forget the kindness of the good people who took their rubbish home with them or acknowledge the crows who sorted the good food from the bad!

There is a war against Jet Ski’s. I think Courtown is about to consider a ban on the use of jet ski action by Wexford County Council? They are adjudged to be noisy and dangerous – like a normal visit to a Night Club!

Camper vans are coming in for some criticism too. Now that the staycation is the only game in town the camper vans are multiplying and last weekend upwards of 20 of them took up the parking spots at Cahore and the beachgoers had to park further away than usual. Acrimony with camper vans along the south Wexford coast too. The big conundrum and unnecessary worry is… where do they empty their toilets?

So where do we go from here? A summer of welcome return for visitors…or a summer of discontent due to inconvenience…leaving the locals (full-time and part-time) to their own retreat and privacy?

This story will become warmer as the summer progresses and the hardship of Covid-19 becomes an unspeakable subject…and there still exists the short-taken minority who will defecate in the woods and urinate in the corners and while nature has been tolerant in this regard since humans were created…21^st century etiquette has refreshed an Edwardian ethic that is doomed to fail!

Titles for O’Neill, Bowe and Rogan

By Dan Walsh

The 2020-21 point-to-point campaign ended in celebration and sunshine at Grennan, Co. Kilkenny today with winners for three Wexford champions.

Barry O’Neill becomes National champion rider for the fifth time, and also made a piece of history by taking the titles in all four regions – north, south, east and west -for good measure!

O’Neill celebrated with a one and a half lengths success on Croi Corcra for owner PJ Fortune and handler Colin Bowe in the maiden race for four-year-old mares. His 54^th winner of the season and runner-up was Jamie Codd on 19 winners.

Colin Bowe (44 winners for the season) clinched his 9^th handlers’ championship with a double today. His second winner was Gold Buckle Dreams for Milestone Bloodstock Ltd by eight lengths in the mares’ maiden race for five-year-olds and over with James Kenny, Craanford, in the saddle.

Incidentally, the top four handlers’ are all from Wexford – Bowe (44), Donnchadh Doyle (25), Denis Murphy (19) and Sean Doyle (15).

Pearse Rogan started the day level with Liam Gilligan on seven winners each for the national under 21 riders’ championship but the young Caim rider got the vital eighth winner and the victory trophy aboard Secret Scripture for Donnchadh Doyle and the Monbeg Syndicate in division two of the maiden race for five-year-old geldings.

The season ended prematurely when the remainder of Grennan’s meeting was abandoned after the second division of the fourth race.

And so, the curtain comes down on a year of point-to-pointing held behind closed doors and under strict Covid-19 protocols and guidelines, but fingers crossed that come the late autumn the crowds will return, and some sort of normal sporting action will have resumed!

Pearse Rogan challenges for U21 title

By Dan Walsh

Two Wexford trained horses were involved in a dead-heat in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings at Kirkistown, Co. Down this afternoon.

**Point-to-Point action at Ballycrystal (File Pic)**

Long time leader Rathmacknee in the colours of the Final Furlong Bloodstock Ltd for Colin Bowe and Barry O’Neill was caught at the finish by Galunggung trained for the Monbeg Syndicate and Ballindaggin handler Donnchadh Doyle and Pearse Rogan (19). The judge failed to separate the pair and declared a dead-heat.

Rogan from Caim added a second winner of the afternoon on Creadan Grae by four lengths for Helen and Peter McBurney in the Open Race for novice riders.

This brings Pearse Rogan onto the seven-winner mark with Liam Gilligan for the under 21 riders’ championship with only tomorrow’s fixture at Grennan, Co. Kilkenny, left of the 2020-21 season. Michael O’Sullivan from Mallow and Sean Staples, Duncormick, are both one behind on the six-winner mark, so it is all to play for amongst the four talented riders.

Jack Hendrick, Mayglass, was aboard Getalady for owner/handler Peter Flood for a two and a half lengths victory in the maiden race for five-year-old mares’ and over.

Craanford handler and rider Liam and James Kenny were successful with Ranger Kid by three-quarters of a length in the maiden race for ‘older’ geldings in the Big Zeb colours of Gorey owner Paddy Redmond.

Duty Free shopping returns on Rosslare ferries

By Dan Walsh

With the easing of lockdown restrictions, and a hope that international tourist travel will resume shortly, Stena Line is anticipating a busy summer. And after a 21-year absence, duty-free shopping onboard Stena Line’s ferries will now be available following Brexit.

Meanwhile, sailings between Rosslare Europort and Fishguard remain suspended as the Stena Europe‘s stay in dry dock is extended to Friday, June 4^th.

**STENA EUROPE will soon return from dry dock in Belfast for the Rosslare-Fishguard route.**

Writing in The Western Telegraph reporter Becky Hotchin said the Irish Sea crossing was temporarily cancelled, initially until May 22^nd, when Stena decided to send the vessel for repair at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, following a routine inspection of the ferry.

It was initially anticipated that the repairs would be completed by May 21^st and the ferry back on the run by the 22^nd. However, the company still has no Irish Sea crossings from Rosslare to Fishguard and it was confirmed that the Europe’s stay in dry dock has been extended.

“Stena Line is continuing to carry out works on the Stena Europe (Rosslare-Fishguard) while travel restrictions with the Republic of Ireland remain in place,” said a spokesperson for the company.

“An announcement from the Irish Government is expected imminently on Digital Green Certificates and International Travel and Stena Line plans to have the Stena Europe back in service on June 4^th.

The Fishguard to Rosslare route was severely affected by Brexit and Covid-19 at the beginning of this year with freight crossings down by 70% and a reduction in services.

Papal Knighthood for Eugene Doyle

By Dan Walsh

During 7pm Friday evening Mass in St. Senan’s Parish Church, Enniscorthy, Bishop Denis Brennan conferred a Papal Knighthood on local parishioner Eugene Doyle on behalf of Pope Francis in recognition of his personal and professional contribution to the Diocese of Ferns.

**EUGENE DOYLE receives a Papal Knighthood from Pope Francis**

Since becoming Diocesan Finance Officer in 2004, Mr Doyle has helped to shape and oversee diocesan financial policy in a time of acute challenge – and as responses were being shaped – to a new evolving human, pastoral, spiritual and economic reality.

Bishop Denis Brennan said; “The focus of the last twenty years in the diocese has been genuine engagement and honesty with major issues that have confronted the diocese. As Diocesan Finance Officer, Eugene Doyle played an invaluable part in restoring trust and in helping chart a sure course through turbulent waters.

“In the conferral of the honour on one of our parishioners, I am conscious that it will be warmly received at all levels here in Ferns diocese and will – in some part – recognise the selfless and very often unnoticed heroic effort that marks daily life here in our parishes, and within the Diocese of Ferns,” concluded Bishop Brennan.

New Vaccination Centre at Kilanerin

By Dan Walsh

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced the welcome news that the HSE has secured a site for a new vaccination centre that will serve both south Wicklow and north Wexford at Kilanerin Community Centre.

The new centre is expected to be fully operational by the middle of June and will have the capacity to offer 1,200 vaccinations a day.

The Kilanerin Community Centre, which will have ten vaccination booths, is an ideal location for the new vaccination centre as it has both parking facilities and enough space for the vaccination teams to operate and is located in the village.

Minister Donnelly praised the work done by the HSE in finding the new location. He said: “An immense amount of work has gone into finding suitable premises for the vaccination centre which was not an easy thing to do as there are a lot of criteria that have to be met. I had asked the HSE that they make it a matter of urgency to find somewhere suitable which after a lot of hard work they have now done. Kilanerin is ideal for people in the area to get to.

Kilanerin Community Centre has been developed and enlarged by Kilanerin Ballyfad Community Development Association in recent years and will remove the need for people from north Wexford to travel long distances for the Covid-19 vaccine.

Windows smashed at Enniscorthy school

By Dan Walsh

Gardai in Enniscorthy are investigating a serious incident where windows were damaged in an anti-social or criminal act of vandalism at St. Aidan’s Parish School on Nunnery Road last weekend.

It is understood that some youths trespassed on the school grounds and smashed three glass panels on the infant playground. The intrusion has been strongly condemned by school staff and parents who are concerned for the safety of the children.

Gardai are asking people to keep a watchful eye in the vicinity of the school and the adjoining Peace Park and to report any suspicious activity to Enniscorthy Garda Station on 053 9242580 or the Garda Confidential line on 1800 666 111.

Saving Kilmore Quay fishing industry

By Dan Walsh

Around 50 boats from the coastal areas Kilmore Quay to Dingle sailed through the night and assembled at Roche’s Point at 7am today before the public awareness flotilla of boats sailed up the River Lee to Cork City to highlight the huge strain on the fishing industry and delivered a plea for help at An Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s constituency office.

Speaking to RTE News Dinah Busher owner of the Ellie Adhamh, Kilmore Quay, said; “The quotas we have they are not paying the bills. The expenses for each trip they are not being covered.”

**The local fishing fleet resting in Kilmore Quay. (File Pic)**

Commenting locally Cllr Jim Codd told WexfordLocal.com; “Fishing communities like Kilmore Quay are on the brink of utter destruction due to unmanageable new EU regulations. These new measures which will require fishermen to unpack and weigh their catch on the Quay before repacking and re-icing the load and transporting it two hundred yards up the road to the factory are just the latest attempts to erode our fishing communities.

“Our trawler crews working in the most dangerous of jobs now see a box of Whelks, which was fetching €100, now only getting €55-€60 while Lobster pots have risen from €50 to €80. Diesel has gone from 30% to 54% cent per litre in the last year. A box of haddock is getting £100 in Peterhead across the water. Fishermen here are lucky to get €20 a box with prices falling to €12 a box last week. Things have gone so bad that they are using the haddock in the Lobster pots now. Prices go up while wages drop creating an unsustainable situation,” concluded Cllr Codd.

Wexford has most Beach Awards in Leinster

By Dan Walsh

Wexford County Council retains Blue Flag status for five beaches and both marinas awarded in 2020, however, Ballymoney North Beach awarded in 2020 has not retained Blue Flag status for the 2021 season.

The beach has been classified as achieving a Good Water Quality rating in 2020 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2017 to 2020. Excellent water quality classification is the standard required of beach applicants to achieve Blue Flag status. Wexford has received more Blue Flags and Green Coast Awards than any other county in Leinster.

BLUE FLAG BEACHES AND MARINAS 2021; Ballinesker Beach, Curracloe, Morriscastle, Rosslare Strand, Carne, Kilmore Quay Marina and New Ross Marina.

GREEN COAST AWARD BEACHES 2021; Grange, Cullenstown Strand, St. Helen’s Bay, Ballyhealy, Booley Bay, Cahore Point Beach, Culleton’s Gap, Old Bawn Beach and Baginbun Beach.

**OLD BAWN BEACH selected for a GREEN COAST BEACH AWARD**

The Blue Flag and Green Coast Award sites for 2021 were announced by Ian Diamond, Coastal Awards Manager with An Taisce’s Environmental Education unit this morning (Tuesday) in a virtual awards ceremony attended by Local Authorities, marina operators and Clean Coasts groups who volunteer at the beaches receiving Green Coast Awards this year.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien said; “I want to offer my sincere congratulations to each of the communities who have won these most prized awards. Winning a Blue Flag or a Green Coast award is a collective effort with local authorities, An Taisce, local coastal communities and other volunteers on the ground all playing their part.”