Civicprideas 218cleanup
IN one of the biggest clean-up operations ever seen on the north east coast, over 200 volnteers of all ages turned out last Saturday to tidy the beaches and dunes.
The sense of community spirit and pride was palpable, as men, women and children diligently collected hundreds of sacks of rubbish from Mornington, Bettystown and Laytown.
Organised by the Beach Management Committee Laytown Bettystown Mornington, a spokesman said even they were shocked at the numbers who showed up to help.
“What an amazing show of community spirit on the beach on Saturday morning,” he said. “We thought we’d run out of bags and pickers but somehow everyone who showed up was able to play their part. It’s also fantastic to see so many people with their own cleaning equipment. A great example to all the children who helped out”.
The recent good weather and schools being closed for longer has meant the strands have been used by many, with teenagers holding parties in the dunes and leaving piles of debris in their wake.
However, undetered, 218 registered at Bettystown to clean up the mess others have left behind, and more turned up at Monington and Laytown to join in.
“The dunes got a major overhaul as can be seen by the accumulation of rubbish in the photographs,” he added. “A huge thank you so much to the Bettystown community. You guys rock!”
Sadly, the cleanliness was short-lived, as three hours later, a group of teens left piles of rubbish behind them in the dunes at Mornington, and parents are being asked to tell their children to clean up after themselves. The next voluntary clean-up day will be held on Saturday July 11th.