Garryvoe to Ballycotton footbridge to be explored by council

The closest beach to many in north and east Cork area is Garryvoe, and with an eye to the summertime, access to the beach and the possibility of a walkway to Ballycotton was raised at an East Cork Municipal District meeting this week.

Cllr Susan McCarthy called for the promenade to be regularly cleared of stones and debris, as is done at Front Strand in Youghal. Saying that the pathway is “regularly obstructed, particularly after high tides and weather events”, she asked that it be cleared particularly for those using buggies and wheelchairs. However, council staff said it would realistically only be possible on an ad-hoc basis, as “resources are limited” but that they do “try and stay on top of it”.

FOOTBRIDGE

Cllr McCarthy also raised the possibility of a footbridge to link Ballynamona beach to Garryvoe beach. Walkers and runners will know it as the stretch of the beach that faces towards Ballycotton, where a wide stream usually makes it necessary to turn back towards Garryvoe.

Cllr McCarthy said access could make it possible to walk all the way to Ballycotton, with the right tides. Proposing a floating pontoon, like that at Barleycove, Cllr McCarthy was informed that the area is a designated protected area for birds and so the request is not a straightforward one.

However, she said she anticipated an answer like this, and would push for a feasibility study regardless. While the bridge is not an impossible project, it would need a study that could measure the effect of a bridge and increased foot traffic could have on the birds.

The council executive promised to get an updated report on the matter from the county ecologist.