‘It’s a joke’: Garretstown beach lovers react to Blue Flag loss
Garretstown Strand lost its Blue Flag for this year. Pictures: Howard Crowdy
Concern, bemusement, and frustration were evident at Garretstown beach this evening as locals, businesses and visitors responded to the news that the popular spot has lost its Blue Flag status for this year.
Garretstown was one of four beaches in the country not to renew their Blue Flag, the global environmental award for clean beaches operated by An Taisce, for the 2023 season.
A total of 84 beaches and 10 marinas received their Blue Flag statusfor this year on Friday. But Garretstown in Co Cork, Cappagh Pier at Kilrush in Co Clare and both Counsellor’s Strand and Dunmore Strand at Dunmore East in Co Waterford lost out on renewing their flags.
While Garretstown passed 32 out of 33 of the Blue Flag’s criteria, it failed because recycling bins were not provided at the beach.
“The site could not be awarded due to no compliance with criterion 18, ‘Facilities for the separation of recyclable waste materials must be available at the beach’.
“The recycling facilities should accommodate the collection and separation of as many different types of materials as possible, three being the minimum,” an An Taisce spokesperson told the .
Olan Crowley, who co-owns the Wild Wellness Collective mobile sauna on Garretstown beach, said he and his business partner Bronwyn were concerned about the impact the loss of the Blue Flag would have on their business and on visitors’ perceptions of the beach.
“It’s not great, and it’s going to have an impact on people’s negative perceptions,” Mr Crowley said.
He said that for the Blue Flag to be lost solely due to the lack of provision of recycling bins was “a bit ridiculous,” but noted there were no council bins provided at the beach “for nine months of the year”.
“From our point of view, there is so much more that can be done to help the beach,” he said.
“Toilets and changing facilities were promised a couple of years ago, and nothing has been done. People are shocked that there are no bins and we end up with stuff being left next to our trailers because there’s nowhere to leave it.”
Surfer Sammy Ryrberg and his partner Amy Kokoska recently moved to the Kinsale area and Mr Ryrberg said he would be concerned to hear a beach had lost its Blue Flag status and would presume that it was connected to water quality.
“I would like to know what the reason is behind it: is it because it is more polluted than it was?” Mr Ryrberg said.
“I think to lose the flag for one point is a bit much, but if you make criteria for everyone and then you fail one of the points, I suppose that is how it works.
Nick Cotter and Sarah Cagney from Bandon are regular visitors to Garretstown, where they enjoy walks on the beach. Mr Cotter said it was “a bit sad” to learn of the loss of the Blue Flag.
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Ms Cagney said she would look out for Blue Flag status if she was swimming at a beach.
“Knowing that the flag is gone, I’d want to look up why it lost it,” she said, adding that it was frustrating to learn that the loss was due to the lack of recycling bin provision.
“It’s a shame that if the council know these are the criteria that they wouldn’t have the right bins in place,” she said. “I would have noticed in the past that there weren’t bins here.”
Aileen Mann is the owner of GTown surf school and Atlantic Offshore Adventures, and operates water-based sporting activities on the beach all summer.
She said the mood amongst businesses and the community of surfers was “disgusted” to learn that the flag had been lost.
“This will affect people, wondering whether we need to step up our game,” she said. But she said the loss of the flag because of the lack of recycling bins was “a joke”.
“A recycling bin? Seriously? I’ll put out a recycling bin. If that’s all it is, that’s up to the council, really, isn’t it?”
She’s unsure of the potential impacts of the loss of the Blue Flag on her business at the start of what may be a difficult season for other reasons, too: The post-covid desire for foreign holidays and the cost of living crisis are already impacting her bookings, she said.
“Bookings are down and this could be an issue that will add to everything else,” she said. “I’ll be worrying about business in general this year.”
“I don’t know if people genuinely care about the Blue Flag or not because Garretstown is so close to the city and so many people come every year. Will we really feel it, or will it be business as usual?”
Michael Thomas lives in Kilmichael and was out on a motorcycle spin to the beach with a friend, Tim Francis. To Michael, the Blue Flag loss was “much ado about nothing” and the recycling bin issue ridiculous.
“People don’t come to the beach to do their recycling,” he said with a laugh. “Look at it: you can see that it’s beautiful here, why would you care if it has a Blue Flag or not?”
