Abandoned boats causing damage to scenic West Cork pier, says councillor

A number of boats that have been abandoned at a scenic West Cork pier are causing structural damage as well as spoiling the area’s natural beauty, according to a local councillor.

The issue was raised at the recent meeting of Cork County Council’s Western Division by Schull-based Fine Gael councillor Caroline Cronin.

Ms Cronin said: “Roaringwater Pier in Aughadown near Skibbereen is a beautiful area. It’s a working pier and a popular spot for locals to swim at high tide but there are six abandoned boats sitting around that really spoil the area and they are in the way.”

She added: “One old, unseaworthy wooden boat is tied up there and blocking part of the public pier. Another boat arrived before Storm Ophelia and has just stayed there ever since.”

Ms Cronin said significant damage had been caused to the pier as the bilge keel of one boat moves with the tide and has made a large hole in the pier wall. She said: “You can only see it at low tide from the seabed. The hole was made worse when a big stone was dislodged.”

Ms Cronin said that other boats are “just sitting on boat trailers blocking access and have been there for years.

“Can we please ask the owners to remove these boats giving them a specific timeline to have them removed? This place is very special and far too nice to be turned into a dumping ground for old vessels.”

Independent Ireland’s Danny Collins said that a similar situation had arisen in Schull and warning signs were posted up around the harbour pier which had a positive effect and most of the boats were removed.

Divisional manager Michael Lynch said he came from a coastal community himself and it was incumbent on boat owners to take responsibility for their property. He said: “There is a bigger picture here and maybe people should not be dumping boats in the first place. People need to take responsibility for their own property.”

Mr Lynch added that the council would look into the matter to see what could be done.

• This article is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme