Rossbeigh a new Mecca for water sports?

MAKE the back beach in Rossbeigh a prime recreational area with water sports, a pier and a marina says FF Cllr Michael Cahill.

The Rossbeigh based councillor tabled the motion at a recent meeting of the South and West Kerry Municipal District calling on Kerry County Council to conduct a feasibility study with a view to maximising the area which Cllr Cahill believes has ‘ huge potential’ yet is underdeveloped as a maritime investment.

He said the very fact a breach wall already exists strengthens his proposal as it creates a natural and safe inlet in which to build a marina and for hosting various types of water sports.

“This is currently an under resourced area and is generally a safe beach area as there are few waves; it’s more like a lake and this makes it ideal for what I am proposing. It has a lot to offer and Glenbeigh and Mid Kerry needs this,” said Cllr Cahill.

He also asked KCC to expedite the funding application to the OPW for the wider ‘Castlemaine Harbour Coastal Erosion & Coastal Flooding Risk Management Study’, citing that the abundance of data available through the Marine Institute in Cork – who have been surveying the area for a number of years – be used to accelerate the process.

In reply, council management said that while Rossbeigh is included in a funding application to the OPW as part of the aforementioned study area, until details of this study are complete it is not in a position to consider further development of the area.

“If a marina were included in Rossbeigh it would actually help protect many of the low-lying areas. A provision of €200,000 has been made available or 2018 for coastal erosion in the wider area and while I’m pleased with this, I am disappointed my motion can’t be moved while the results of the study remain unfinished. I believe the council would actually endorse my motion but for this,” Cllr Cahill added.