Cllr calls for a ban on beach sulky racers
FINE Gael Councillor, Sharon Tolan, has called for a complete ban on sulky racers from all Meath beaches.
This follows a serious incident which occurred on Bettystown beach last week when a sulky racer fell off his cart, and resulted in the horse and cart racing down the beach uncontrollably.
Councillor Tolan who was walking her dog on the beach at the time, and who witnessed the event said, “It left many people very shook. There were people walking dogs, others with small children and even one couple who had a very narrow escape and were pushing their baby in a pram. There was very serious damage caused to a parked car. We are very lucky nobody was injured. This needs to be stopped.”
The current Foreshore Bylaws state all horses must be off the beach by 11am. This incident occurred before 10am, but Tolan says “our beaches are used by many members of the public from early in the morning, and their safety is paramount. I have no issue with horse riders on the beach, and indeed, we have a long history associated with Laytown Strand Races that dates back 150 years, but these sulky contraptions are a danger to the public, and the beach is no place for them.”