No-go beach zones: Children have feet cut by broken glass at Cork beauty spot

TWO children ended up in Cork University Hospital with cut feet after broken glass was left on a Cork beach.

Crosshaven Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley said she had been contacted by two families who had to take their children to the emergency department for stitches after they stepped on glass at the beach.

Ms Buckley said both incidents occurred at Churchbay beach, Crosshaven, which is a stoney beach making the glass hard to see.

Ms Buckley said locals were actively avoiding going to Churchbay due to littering and anti-social behaviour.

“It is 15/16/17-year-olds who get the 220 bus out to Crosshaven. They organise beach parties and they are drinking hard liquor,” she said, adding that 400 cans and bottles of beer were confiscated last weekend by gardaí in the area.

“They leave clothes, bags, cans and bottles, glass bottles, pizza boxes, everything,” she said.

Ms Buckley said neighbouring beaches such as Myrtleville and Fountainstown had not been as affected as they were more family-orientated beaches and very popular destinations, but areas such as Fennell’s Bay and Churchbay attracted a large number of youths looking to enjoy the coast and sunshine with alcohol.

FINES

“Cork County Council have given a book of on-the-spot fines to gardaí to issue and I’m hoping that will help. We need to put a bit of manners on them,” the councillor said.

Cork County Council has on-the-spot litter fines of €150.

Mrs Buckley said Crosshaven is in need of full-time community policing during the summer.

“It is not too much to ask: It is needed. It is absolutely chaos during the summer. I had a girl urinating outside my house the other day, people passing and everything. They have no shame.”

The gardaí said extra resources were being deployed to Crosshaven.

“Community Engagement Gardaí for Cork South have and will continue to commit additional resources to the policing of the lower harbour area of the district, in particular at weekends, when there is an increase in members of the public visiting the area.

“This is a commitment that will be met for the remainder of the summer months.

“These members are comprised of the district community policing team, as well as members from the regular unit who are deployed to the area.”

The gardaí also confirmed they attended a recent incident at Fennell’s Bay, where there was one arrest and a number of on-the-spot fines for drinking alcohol.

A spokesperson said: “Gardaí did attend an incident at Fennell’s Bay involving a large gathering of youths on June 17, 2022. There was one arrest and a number of on-the-spot fines were issued in relation to the consumption of alcohol, under the county bye-laws.”

Finally, the gardaí said they were aware of local concerns and were working to address them.

“This district is committed to maintaining a high-visibility Garda presence in the area. The concerns of local representatives have been acknowledged and addressed by the district officer, in the form of weekend operations, which will be maintained for the duration of the summer period.”