Six thousand sign to save Doolin's Old Pier
Petition seeks official Bathing Water status
Six thousand people have signed a petition seeking bathing water status at Doolin. Among them is Tom Doherty (pictured), who remembers learning to swim and row currachs to the Aran Islands at Doolin’s Old Pier:
The petition of 6,000 signatures seeks the re-designation of Doolin Old Pier as an official bathing spot, following a call out for bathing water locations by Clare County Council.
Doolin has a permanent population of 820, with 419 males and 401 females.
The ‘Doolin Swimmers’ group has more than fifty members taking their daily dip at the Old Pier.
The signatures were received by Chris Cullinan at Clare County Council on Friday. The petition followed a ‘Call to Action’ community day at the pier earlier this month, which drew hundreds of aqua orientated enthusiasts to Doolin’s Old Pier.
The community is urging for the Doolin Lifeguard service to be reinstated as numbers using the popular facility continue to rise.
The Old Pier and surrounding area have been utilised by the local community for health and recreation activities since Victorian times.
“In Doolin this is where we spent our summers. It’s been great to see those numbers grow over the past few years, swimming and water activities have so many important social, physical and mental health benefits,” Doolin Swimmers Group spokeswoman Leigh O’Connell said.
“We had a Lifeguard here up until 2014. We want to see this service reinstated. This is where we swim,” Leigh said.
A spokesman for Clare County Council said the closing date for expressions of interest in bathing water designations is Friday September 28.
“All submissions will be assessed by our Bathing Water Team. In our assessment, we would look at the Health and Safety of sampling the bathing waters and the suitability of any proposed location for bathing,” the spokesman said.
Opened in 2015, the new pier was granted planning permission on the basis that the old pier would be preserved exclusively for public recreation use.
The Environmental Impact Statement completed by Malachy Walsh and Partners ahead of construction of the new pier makes specific reference to the use of the old pier for all others:
“Once constructed, the new pier will accommodate all the commercial boat traffic including ferries and charters. The existing pier will be for the use of all others. This separation of users will reduce the risks associated with congestion and the current mix of users. The new pier will also provide shelter for the existing pier.” (Malachy Walsh and Partners EIS)
Doolin Pier is the only wheelchair accessible spot for swimmers and others with mobility issues along this stretch of the north Clare coast.
The old pier is a busy spot attracting hundreds of daily users such as walkers, swimmers, kayakers, divers; SUP boarding, fishermen, photographers, artists, bird watchers and tourists.
The new pier facilitates commercial activities including ferries to the Aran Islands.
The erection of new signs at Doolin pier over the past two years has caused concern locally over the old pier’s future use.
Sign the online petition
*More info on the council’s call for bathing water locations
Read about a morning swim in Doolin:
Everyday Amazing Adventures
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Fond memories of hours in the water there near that pier. Signed (although they'll hardly be informing Clare Co Co that there's now 6,001 signatures!)
Signed and shared , I was there last March and is was so busy with surfers and swimmers and it was cold , fair play to them . it's a beautiful spot .