Carne Beach celebrates a prestigious first

NINE COUNTY Wexford beaches and marinas have been awarded Blug Flags for 2018, including Carne Beach which is receiving its first ever Blue Flag.

Flags were retained in Ballymoney, Courtown, Morriscastle, Curracloe, Ballinesker, Rosslare Strand, Kilmore Quay, and New Ross Marina. But the main celebrations were in Carne where, for the first time, the work to enhance the area has been recognised with a Blue Flag.

Local councillor Ger Carthy said he was delighted to see the beach being recognised, pointing out that it was another big boost to the Wexford tourism sector.

The beach was closed off at the weekend to facilitate dredging works which, Cllr Carthy said, happen every year, but the beach was now fully accessible again.

‘They dredge the silt away from the pier, to allow the boats to get in and out, and use it to reinforce the sand banks around the beach, that get eroded with storms. After a few days that sand will return to its usual colour.’

The Blue Flag programme is running since 1988 and rewards areas that showcase good accessibility, safety standards and water quality. Cllr Carthy said close to €100,000 had been spent, in recent, on improvement works at the site, including the laying of concrete paths to the beach and the provision of beach wheelchairs.

‘This is the culmination of a number of years of hard work and support, and financial assistance of Wexford County Coastal team under senior engineers Gerry Forde and George Colfer, as well as the local community and businesses. Anything that improves our product as a tourist area is good for the county.’

Green Coast Awards were given to Old Bawn, Cahore, Culleton’s Gap, Ballyhealy, Cullenstown Strand, Booley Bay, Grange, and St Helen’s Bay.

Wexford County Council Director of Services John Carley congratulated all those involved in maintaining the county’s beaches to the exacting standards and ensuring these key resources continue to attract large visitor numbers to the county.