
By Dan Walsh in Courtown
Yesterday (Saturday) I paid a visit to Courtown and was directed towards the Courtown Kiltennel Walking Trail where I witnessed a trail of destruction in the wake of last week’s Storm Éowyn.
Trees were taken out, and in fairness to the National Parks and Wildlife Service efforts to clear the walkway have been successful, but the greatest challenge facing North Wexford coastline is the fact that the heavy seas are now breaking on to the sandy surface inside the protective rock armour that exists!
Speaking to locals walking their dogs and enjoying the leisure values of this amazing environmental treasure, the general reaction was that “nature is taking its course” and prevention is “at the mercy of the tides and waves and the massive force of the sea when it enters into storm mode.”
Over the past 50 years, Courtown has lost approximately 20 linear acres of coastline. Today, Courtown Community Council are the group responsible for monitoring the popular Courtown Kiltennel Walking Trail. It also conducts annual coastwatch surveys in association with coastwatch.org.
Speaking with WexfordLocal.com, Linda Sinnott from Courtown Community Council said; “Since we began doing our surveys 5 years ago, we’ve seen an ongoing loss of 1–2 meters per annum, with even larger sections disappearing during extreme weather events, like the one that hit last weekend.” Linda adds (see photo) that “In just one month, approximately 5,000 visitors were recorded using the Courtown Kiltenel Walking Trail since the installation of a trail counter in December 2024.
Linda adds; “We understand that coastal erosion is a significant challenge, and tough decisions must be made about what can be saved. However, the data makes it clear: this designated proposed Natural Heritage Area (pNHA) is a major attraction for both residents and tourists. We must do everything we can to protect it. The key ingredient is political will.
“We now have three sitting TDs, along with a Wexford minister and senator who can directly support our National Parks and Wildlife Service. We urge everyone to contact them, as well as your local representatives and Wexford County Council, to act now, before this valued yet vulnerable stretch of coastline is lost forever,” concluded Ms. Sinnott.









