This article is from page 2 of the 2008-01-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
WEST Clare locals have been count- ing the cost of the destruction of part of the sea wall at Cloughauninchy Beach near Quilty which has virtu- ally drained Lough Donnell.
A number of campaigns have taken place over the last two decades for minor works to be carried out to safeguard the model, or salmon weir, which formed part of the sea wall. According to locals, these essential repairs would have cost less than €100,000, while the cost of rebuild- ing the seawall and model could now run into millions.
In environmental terms, Lough Donnell, which is usually the home for wild salmon and trout, is almost totally dry with the Annageragh Riv- er now running directly into the sea. It is yet unclear what impact this will have on wild salmon reaching their natural spawning ground up river.
The lake is also a major feeding ground for thousands of wild birds.
“We have been trying to get this fixed for years. We first tried to get a new model built in the early 80s. Over the past 10 years, we have been consistently on about this,” said local man Bill McNamara.
‘The whole sea wall is now in dan-
ger of going. The tide 1s going straight back into that lake now. What was a 10 feet gap just two week ago is now about 70 metres wide. More and more is being ripped down each time the tide comes in.”
The destruction of the sea wall will also have a major impact on local tourism, with Cloughauninchy Beach being divided in two by the fast-mov- ing water and stones.
“We had a nice bit of work done with the road to the beach last year. Clare County Council tarred and had also agreed to build steps down to the beach when the model was fixed,” said local man Michael Shannon.
‘“T’m concerned primarily about the wildlife in Lough Donnell and the habitats which have been developed there over the last 100 years but from a tourist point of view it 1s very sig- nificant. The beach 1s totally distort- ed now. It’s gone from a lovely beach to a wreck with rocks all over it.
“It used to be a mile long but it has been cut in half. We need the OPW to take responsibility for this now. The longer they wait the bigger the cost will be.”