Beaches have reappeared in Achill tourism haven

FROM wandering sheep to calling for improvements to be made to local broadband services, there’s certainly a lot on the minds of the 2,700-strong population of Ireland’s largest island.

Achill Community Futures is a voluntary community group set up by residents on Achill Island in 2016 to promote a positive future for the island.

In conjunction with Mayo County Council, 16 people in the community went from doorto-door around the island handing out surveys asking residents questions such as what they liked about Achill, what they disliked and what changes could be made in to the future.

One of these people was chairman of the group, Chris McCarthy, who has lived in Achill his entire life. Issues flagged in the survey ranged from wandering sheep on roads to calling for infrastructure improvements.

“There’s a large population of sheep farmers in Achill and sheep are a huge tourist attraction also. There’s more sheep than people on the island. We’ll have to work on the issue of sheep but it’s not our main priority,” says Chris.

While growing instances of Japanese Knotweed and the need for it to be controlled was one of the agricultural issues raised by residents in the survey, Chris adds that the survey showed that there’s more positive than negatives to living on the island, including the reoccurrence of two once-disappeared beaches.

“Doogagh beach was gone for years and the strand came back this year and so did the strand at Ashleam Bay. Achill is a haven for tourism, artists, food, music and sport. There’s a serious amount of new people coming to live here too. We’re a very proud and positive people,” he says.

The results of the survey culminated in the recent publication of the Achill Community Futures Action Plan 2018-2023. The plan sets out its vision for the island for the next five years.

Maintaining the island’s natural beauty, lobbying for better broadband, extending the Greenway, organising a youth club, looking into renewable energy projects and lobbying for another ATM are among some of the goals stated in the plan.

“Extending the Greenway completely on to Achill would be great as every other Greenway in Ireland is effectively modelled on the one here. We’ve got more blue flag beaches than most counties, it really is beautiful here,” he says.

The brochure of the plan was successfully launched by Westport native, Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring at Ostan Oilean Acla on November 26 last.

“We’re a great island, we’re very accessible. There’s been a bridge here since the time of Michael Davitt. This is about our future,” says Chris.