Residents calling for action as landslides continue

Residents calling for action as landslides continue

3 July 2013

RESIDENTS in Ballyhornan are demanding action to shore up a cliff face which is gradually falling into the sea.

Several sections of the cliff at the Killard Road in the village collapsed recently and concern is mounting that if something isn’t done soon, one of the district’s most picturesque coastal routes will have to be closed.

Councillor Dermot Curran has raised the need for the landslides to be addressed with Stormont ministers Danny Kennedy and Alex Attwood, in charge of the departments of Regional Development and the Environment respectively.

Now two Ballyhornan residents are calling for work to shore up the cliff face before there are more landslides, something which they fear could undermine the entire structure and result in the main road disappearing into the sea.

Roisin Maguire and Noel Teggart say while landslides at the cliff face are nothing new, with general erosion at this part of the Lecale coastline commonplace for many years, there is now a need to address the issue.

Roisin expressed concern that while money is being invested to maximise the tourist economy in places like Newcastle and Bangor, one of the district’s “absolute gems” is falling into the sea.

She believes that if remedial action is taken in the near future to address the landslide problems, this part of the Lecale coastline could be sustained for a while longer.

“Ballyhornan must not be ignored,” declared Roisin. “We feel hard done by when it comes to tourist investment compared to other areas. Here we have another example of the neglect of this part of the world which can contribute positively to the local tourism economy.

“The Killard Road is also an important one for local people, especially farmers. It’s essential something is done. If work to shore up the cliff face doesn’t happen, there is a danger of the structure collapsing and the road disappearing.”

Roisin admitted that while the required work will not be cheap, she said there must be action “to do whatever is necessary” and to find out exactly what is required to prevent further landslides.

Mr. Teggart said he recently came across a newspaper article dating back to the early 1930s which reported that Ballyhornan farmer Bernard Magee had approached the former Urban Council to address coastal erosion at the cliff face.

Mr. Teggart estimates that around 10 feet of cliff have disappeared over the last four decades and explained the recent

hard winter has moved tonnes of sand away from its base, further compounding the erosion concerns.

“If there is another major storm it will weaken the cliff further which could lead to more landslides. Clearly something needs to be done, even if it is just a stop gap measure,” he continued.

“What concerns me is that there is simply no money available to invest in the major problems we have in Ballyhornan. If the Killard Road ends up falling into the sea it won’t be replaced.”

Mr. Teggart said local people would welcome a short term fix and revealed work to provide rock armouring at the base of the cliff in the 1980s wasn’t completed.

He added: “This work continued for a 30 to 40 metre stretch and these boulders clearly did the job as the cliff face along this part of the beach has stood the test of time.”