Tag Archives: kilkee

Kildare man Paddy Kane is walking Clare’s stunning coastline as part of a personal challenge and to raise much needed funds for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin. Today (Friday) the retired ESB Networks employee is in Kilkee. On July 1, Paddy’s first steps of a 2,500km-long journey commenced in Malin Head. Averaging about 30km per day on coastal trails and by-roads, Paddy is hoping to reach Kinsale Co Cork – the end of the Wild Atlantic Way – by mid-September. “As it stands today in Kilkee I’m on schedule. I’m sticking to the plan of completing 30km a day, divided between 20km in the morning and 10km after lunch. At this pace, the adventure will be a total of 84 days of hilly climbs, forest floors and rural roads, all while carrying 15kg of equipment, including a tent. I’ve been unlucky with the weather for much of my time along the Clare coast, but the famed Cliffs of Moher …

FIGURES compiled by Clare County Council reveal that 414 potential accidents were avoided at Clare’s nine Blue Flag beaches during the four weekends in June, due to the presence of on-duty lifeguards. The figures, which were released on Wednesday, show that four swimmers were rescued by lifeguards from the water, 68 people received first aid treatment, lifeguards reunited lost children with their guardians on six occasions, while safety advice was provided on 1,667 occasions. Clare County Council employs full-time lifeguard cover at Bishops Quarter (Ballyvaughan), Seafield IN Quilty and at Clare’s nine Blue Flag beaches from 11am to 7pm daily during July and August and on weekends during the month of June every year. “We want families and all visitors to our beaches to enjoy themselves but to be mindful of the importance of water safety awareness,” Clare McGrath, Clare Water Safety Development Officer said. “Many of the incidents related to informing and assisting bathers who had knowingly or unknowingly …

A NEW photo book, Clare’s Wild Atlantic Way – An Aerial Perspective of County Clare’s Extraordinary Coastline, has just been published and contains photographs from the full length of Clare’s coast, from New Quay in the north of the county down to Loop Head, and all along the Shannon Estuary, as far inland as the airport. The book is by Patrick G Ryan, who was living in Miltown Malbay until his death, just a few weeks ago. His friend Ann O’Connell explained, “This was a project that he started about four or five years ago. His father was a pilot here in Miltown Malbay and Patrick would have done a lot of flying with him. His father passed away from bowel cancer and Patrick decided to put this book together in memory of his father and to donate the proceeds to Cahercalla Hospice. That was the journey he went on and, unfortunately, he succumbed to the same fate as his …

Clare County Council, following consultation with the HSE, says restrictions on public bathing at Kilkee beach will remain in place today (Thursday). The advisory was issued on Wednesday afternoon after elevated levels of microbiological contamination were recorded in a routine bathing water sample in Kilkee. As a result, bathers are being advised not to swim in the sea at the West Clare resort. Testing of the bathing waters has taken place again today, Thursday, Preliminary test results indicate that the event may be over. Final confirmation of the end of the restriction will be considered following additional water testing on Friday morning.

FOLLOWING advice from the Health Service Executive (HSE), Clare County Council has issued a swimming advisory notice for Kilkee beach asking that people not swim there due to an increase in the levels of bacteria found in the water. The council introduced the advisory on Wednesday morning. The noticed was issued after elevated levels of microbiological contamination were recorded in a routine bathing water sample in Kilkee, which experienced an exceptionally busy June Bank Holiday weekend. The council says that monitoring is ongoing and efforts are underway to identify the bacteria source. It is possible that the swimming ban could be lifted as early as Thursday.    

A post morten examination is to be caried out on the body of a young man taken from the sea in Kilkee earlier today. Gardai, who are continuing with their inquires into the death of the man in his 20s, believe it may have been a tragic accident and that the man may have fallen into the water during the night. The alarm was raised at around 8.15am when emergency services received a report of a body in the water not far from the beach.  The Kilkee unit of the Irish Coast Guard was alerted and responded to the scene along with gardaí. Shortly before 9am, the coast guard boat crew recovered the body from the water. The remains have since been taken to University Hospital Limerick where a postmortem examination is to take place.

Clare County Council is urging visitors to Clare’s beaches this June Bank Holiday Weekend to take responsibility for their rubbish by bringing it home with them. The Council has employed additional resources to deal with the increase in litter that has resulted from the rise in visitor numbers to beaches such as Kilkee, Lahinch and Spanish Point. The local authority says it is also installing additional refuse facilities at Clare’s Blue Flags in an effort to minimise littering while litter wardens have been deployed to monitor littering activity. “Our beach is a fantastic resource for the wider community and it’s up to us all to ensure that we take home what we bring to the beach”, said Cyril Feeney, area engineer with with th council. He added, “The council wishes to acknowledge those who have used the public bins to dispose of their litter. These bins are emptied regularly each day but often reach their capacity due to the unprecedented …

The International Blue Flag has been awarded to nine Clare beaches, including Whitestrand, Miltown Malbay, Ballycuggernan, Whitestrand Doonbeg, Mountshannon, Cappa, Fanore, Spanish Point, Kilkee and Lahinch. Green Coast Awards were also awarded to the beaches at Bishops Quarter (Ballyvaughan) and Seafield (Quilty) The 2016 Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards were accepted on behalf of Clare County Council by Cathaoirleach James Breen and Claire McGrath, Clare Water Safety Development Office,at a ceremony in Portmarnock, Co. Dublin. The Blue Flag is a prestigious environmental eco-label awarded to over 4,000 beaches and marinas in 49 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean. The award, which is operated in Ireland by An Taisce, on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), represents high standards in water quality, environmental information and education, environmental management and safety, services and facilities. The Green Coast Award recognises beaches for their clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty and …