Home » Regional » Gort » Businesses fear fallout as Traught loses Blue Flag

Businesses fear fallout as Traught loses Blue Flag


THE loss of the Blue Flag at a beach in South Galway could have major repercussions for companies in the area according to local business people.
Kinvara’s Traught beach is one of six beaches nationally to lose its Blue Flag status, it was announced this week.
The beach was the only coastal area in South Galway to have a Blue Flag. Galway has only six Blue Flags in total, including two in the city. The ones in the county represent just four out of the 22 bathing areas under Galway County Council.
A number of local people expressed their disappointment that the beach, which has been consistently classed as having a good water quality by the EPA, has now lost its Blue Flag status.
The EPA describes Traught as “a gentle sloping sandy beach which is shallow for quite a distance and makes for a great family day out with the kids. It is a rural beach close to the Burren and located in a special area of conservation called the Galway Bay Complex. The site is of special interest for waterfowl. The range and diversity of habitats are of unique conservation value.”
Indeed, according to the most recent analysis by the EPA, which relates to last summer, Traught achieved “good water quality status and complied with the EU guide and mandatory values”. The beach was also reported to have had “good water quality” status for the previous six years.
On Monday last, An Taisce announced the International Blue Flag Awards and National Green Coast Awards for this year. Traught was one of six beaches nationally to lose its Blue Flag status.
The 74 Irish beaches and two marinas that achieved this accolade met a specific set of criteria related to water quality, environmental education and beach management. As a prerequisite, the bathing water at Blue Flag beaches must meet the highest standards of bathing water quality.
“From a personal and a business point of view, I am very disappointed,” said Olga Connolly of Connolly’s Bar in Kinvara.
“We have small children and the beach losing its Blue Flag would impact on your decision to go there if you thought the water wasn’t clean or safe. There are people who come here from other areas and I’m sure some of them will decide to bypass us and go on to Fanore or other areas in Galway or Clare,” she continued.
“Maybe there is hope in the EPA survey. The loss of the Blue Flag is just another blow to the area. The next Blue Flag awards won’t be made until next year and it would be great if this could be rectified quicker because we have a seasonal business and it is such a short season. This is another blow to the area,” Olga concluded.
Business woman Liz Murphy of Murphy Store, The Quay, Kinvara is also concerned about the impact the loss of the Blue Flag will have on companies in the area, particularly those dependent on tourism. 
“It has come as a shock to me that Traught has lost its Blue Flag because we always accepted that Traught beach is clean and safe but I suppose it is to be expected given that there is no sewage treatment plant in Kinvara. Sooner or later, that was bound to have an effect,” she stated.
“Traught beach draws some local people and others from Limerick and Ennis to go to the beach here not to mention all the people from South Galway that travel out to it. We are trying to promote tourism at home and holidays in Ireland and it is a shame that we wouldn’t have clean beaches. There is no reason for it,” she commented.
According to Galway County Council from May to September each year, the water quality at the 22 bathing areas in the county are sampled by the HSE. This monitoring is carried out to assess compliance with EU and national regulations. Of the 22 bathing areas monitored, 21 complied with the EU Mandatory Values in 2009. However, just Loughrea Lake, Trá Mhór Coill Rua, Trá an Doilín and Cill Muirbhithe were awarded Blue Flags, a European accolade administered by An Taisce.
Blue Flags are awarded annually to bathing areas which meet strict water-quality criteria and provide various amenities, including lifeguards and toilet facilities. At Traught, toilet facilities were unavailabe for part of last year and this is something many locals are pointing to as a possible reason for the loss of the prestigious flag.
“Unfortunately, two bathing areas in County Galway, Céibh an Spidéil and Traught, Kinvara have not retained their Blue Flag status. In both cases, loss of status was due to a single sampling result. Samples, taken immediately after the non-compliant result was obtained, were compliant and indicated very good water quality. Water quality at both locations is generally very good and it is considered that the non-compliant result was caused by very heavy rainfall prior to sampling,” said a spokesperson for the council.
Heavy rainfall causes increased run-off and puts pressure on waste water treatment plants which has a knock-on effect on the quality of water at bathing areas according to An Taisce.
Galway County Council stated that it would continue to monitor the water quality at Céibh an Spidéil and Traught, Kinvara in 2010 adding that it hoped that the Blue Flags could be regained at both bathing areas for the 2011 season.
Dominic Gallagher is a regular user of Traught beach and is principal of St Joseph’s National School in Kinvara. 
“Last year, sixth-class pupils in the school went down to Traught and cleaned up the beach as part of the An Taisce Green Schools programme. We took away about 50 bags of rubbish and cleared the verges and generally tidied it. A local man here, PJ Forde, came down and took it away for free,” he recalled.
“I felt it was a good exercise for the children. They got great benefit out of doing it. There should be more civic responsibility and it is up to people to realise what a loss the Blue Flag is and what we have to do to get it back,” he stated.
At the Blue Flag ceremony earlier this week, Galway City Council retained the Green Coast Award for Salthill and Silverstrand. Galway County Council received the GCA for Trá Inis Oirr, Dog’s Bay, East End Inisbofin, Dumhach Beach. These flags are awarded to rural bathing areas, which meet strict water quality standards and have good quality protected environments.
“Unfortunately, one bathing area in County Galway, Aillebrack, Ballyconneely, did not retain its Green Coast Status. In this case, loss of status was due to two non-compliant samples. Galway County Council has commenced investigative monitoring to determine the cause of the non-compliances,” said a spokesperson for the local authority.
A map showing all the award winning beaches with descriptions, directions, facilities and pictures can be found at www.beachawards.ie.

About News Editor

Check Also

Polina captures Gort scenes 

A UNIQUE exhibition of photographs by a Ukrainian Woman living in a Gort is being …