Dead dolphin lay on beach for four days

IT took four days for council workers to dispose of a rotting dead dolphin found at Carnivan Strand on the hottest weekend of the year.

Speaking at the municipal council meeting, Cllr Martin Murphy said he reported the Risso’s Dolphin on Friday night to the environment section through the council’s internal reporting system.

Cllr Murphy said: ‘ The dolphin was washed up just before the August Bank Holiday weekend which was the hottest weekend in living memory. It had washed up before but came back and was there on the strand all bank holiday weekend. A lot of people complained about it.’

Cllr Murphy said there was a danger the dolphin could burst in the heat, adding that it gave off a terrible stench. ‘ The roads staff dealt with it on the Tuesday afternoon, burying it in very deep sand. The fact is that it was a large mammal which was extremely rotted and stinky on a weekend when there were thousands of people around.’

Cllr Murphy called for a special number to be posted at beaches that people can call when a mammal washes up.

Cllr Willie Fitzharris said it was a difficult operation as there is a narrow slipway to the strand, as is the case with most beaches along the Hook Peninsula. He said he contacted district director Eamonn Hore about the matter, adding that it was buried by machine.

District manager Sinead Casey said everyone can call the council’s emergency number: 1890 666777.