Swim success for campaign

Swim success for campaign

20 July 2016

OVER 150 people took to the water in Killough, Ballyhornan and Kilclief last weekend as part of a campaign to secure a prestigious European designation for three local beaches.

A co-ordinated campaign which has been building for several years came to a head last Saturday in glorious summer weather at the local beaches where swimmers took to the sea seeking EU Bathing Water Status for the three local strands.

Securing the designation would force the Department of Infrastructure to introduce enhanced sewage treatment which would contribute greatly to improving water quality along the Lecale coastline.

In order to secure EU bathing status, the local community has to show the beaches are used regularly and several hundred people from across the area came together last weekend to promote the campaign. In addition to those who took to the water, many others partied on the beaches.

In Kilclief, 140 dinners were served on the beach which included four gallons of tea and coffee and 100 soft drinks laid on by the Kilclief Residents’ Association.

In Ballyhornan, the swimming event was supported by a car boot sale and bouncy castle at the Mustard Seed family centre in the village, while those who took to the water in Kilclief were joined by BBC Radio Ulster’s John Toal from Your Place and Mine.

Event organiser, councillor Cadogan Enright, said it is hoped the mass swim will spur on many local people to use the beaches throughout the summer, take photographs of swimming, sand castle building or barbecues and post them on dedicated Facebook pages.

He is delighted with the number of people who supported last weekend’s event and the fact that the objective of having more than 50 people in the water at each location was achieved.

“Photographs were taken at each of the beaches which provides us with the evidence we need of on-beach activity as required by regulations of the EU Bathing Water Directive,” said councillor Enright.

“The photos, combined with those posted to Facebook by people in each village and other photos of other events on the beach throughout the summer are more than sufficient to prove the required level of usage for official bathing water status for each beach.”

Councillor Enright said securing the bathing status will boost local tourism and jobs and provide new safeguards for local water quality.

He added: “We all love summer time so why not show it by taking your family to the beach for some fun in the sun. Put together a picnic, a barbecue and some beach games and head to either Killough, Ballyhornan or Kilclief beaches before the end of the summer.

Take some photos and post them on line because to secure the bathing status we have to prove that people are using the beaches and what better way than a host of photos on Facebook.”