Rogue campervan owners dumping human waste in area of Cork popular with swimmers

The 30-space site at Cobh’s Five Foot Way is just a couple of miles away from the site in Cuskinny where the dumping is happening

The first municipal-owned campervan/motorhome facility in the country was opened in Cobh, Co Cork, a few years ago and it is fully equipped to provide vehicle owners with water and all waste disposal facilities. File Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Rogue campervan owners are dumping their excrement into an area hugely popular with elite and amateur sea swimmers, even though a fully serviced site for their vehicles is available just a couple of miles away.

The first municipal-owned campervan/motorhome facility in the country was opened in Cobh, Co Cork, a few years ago and it is fully equipped to provide vehicle owners with water and all waste disposal facilities.

The 30-space site at the town’s Five Foot Way, which has picturesque views of Cork Harbour, has been a huge money-spinner for the local authority, even during the bleak winter months.

But some are now parking a few miles away at Cuskinny, which is a well-known nature reserve and has become a mecca for sea swimmers since covid.

Labour councillor Cathal Rasmussen said he had received numerous complaints about the recent “and continuous” dumping of human faeces into the water. He said it is “adversely impacting on people and wildlife.” 

“In this day and age, it’s ridiculous. It’s a serious health hazard,” he said, adding that hundreds of swimmers use the area. He suggested installing a height restriction barrier at the entrance to the car park there which would prevent the entry of such vehicles.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

Fine Gael councillor Sinead Sheppard said she was horrified that people would do that, especially as it is well known it has become a major attraction for amateur and elite swimmers in the last couple of years.

Cobh Municipal District Council chairman Green councillor Alan O’Connor agreed. “It’s a big issue," he said.

Municipal officer Páraig Lynch said while the municipal council has had some input on keeping the Cuskinny harbourside car park maintained, it is privately-owned. However, he said he would talk to the owners and see if there’s something the council can do in conjunction with them to prevent this from happening in the future.

Rubbish dumping and vandalism

Meanwhile, Mr Lynch added that a new public toilet block is currently under construction at the Five Foot Way. It is primarily being developed for the thousands of tourists who visit the area, including those who disembark from cruise liners, and to facilitate those attending the nearby children’s playground.

In addition, the municipal council is to formally seek the introduction of CCTV in the town to combat anti-social behaviour and rubbish dumping. Mr Rasmussen asked in the meantime for council-owned covert cameras to be deployed at Midleton Street in Cobh as repeated serious dumping is happening there.

The area, known locally as Top of the Hill, is home to a number of businesses, but is frequented by tourists taking pictures of the Deck of Cards houses and the harbour view.

Ms Sheppard added that CCTV installation near the public toilets might also help prevent their repeated vandalism. She said the toilets had been vandalised seven times in the past year and repairs had cost the council many thousands of euro.