Shifting sand dilemma in Kilkee

Kilkee’s famous horseshoe beach, which is running out of sand, was described as “more of a garden than a beach, in parts of it,” at Monday’s meeting of Kilkee Town Council.
Councillor Elaine Haugh-Hayes made the comment following news that the Tivoli Cup racquet tournament, which was won by the late actor Richard Harris four times in a row (1948-1951), is to be held this weekend for the first time since 1993.

The tournament is played at the West End of the local beach, with four white walls, known as The Famine Wall, used as the racquet court.
“The sand level is high enough at the moment,” Mayor of Kilkee Lily Marrinan-Sullivan maintained, on hearing queries raised as to how much sand was left on the beach.
Speaking to The Clare Champion on Wednesday, Councillor Haugh-Hayes said that there was plenty of sand in Kilkee; it’s just that not enough of it is located on the beach.
“Since the pier was built in the East End, the flow of water has changed and it drags the sand out into the bay,” the Fine Gael town councillor explained.
“What’s happening is a lot of the sand is being brought out to the middle of the bay. They need to get a digger out there and physically bring the sand back in. We will be rectifying it in the next year or so,” she added.
Although there isn’t as much sand on the beach as there should be, Councillor Haugh-Hayes says that there is more than enough sand in Kilkee. “There’s sand out as far as George’s Head,” she observed.
As for grass growing on Kilkee beach, the newly elected town councillor says that isn’t unusual.
“It’s just something that has to be rectified, it happens on all beaches. It’s not lack of maintenance on behalf of Clare County Council. There’s nothing wrong with the beach as such,” she stated.
The Tivoli Cup dates back to 1935. Richard Harris commissioned a replica trophy in 1997 but it has yet to be played for. It was traditionally a mixed doubles competition and was played regularly every summer from the 1940s to the 1970s. A statue of Harris playing racquets was unveiled three years ago, at the start of the Cliff Walk in Kilkee, by New Zealand actor Russell Crowe.
The tournament will run on Saturday and Sunday, coinciding with the Cois Fharraige music festival, from 1pm to 6pm, and the Tivoli Cup will be presented to the winning doubles pair.