A Blue Flag beach on Clare Island, Co Mayo, is shrinking because of a new pier built nearby, according to environmentalists and concerned community leaders.
The huge new jetty, built at a cost of €9.5 million and which juts into the Atlantic beside pirate queen Grace O'Malley's 16th century castle, is a joy for boatmen, but sunseekers and bathers are not as impressed - the adjacent beach is shrinking, possibly due to a change in tidal direction caused by the massive new structure.
Bare rock is emerging in areas that were previously covered by pristine sand, according to the Clare Island Development Association which has reacted with alarm to the foreshore changes.
Island manager Donal O'Shea has contacted the Munster-based firm of consulting engineers which was involved in the project, Malachy Walsh & Partners, requesting that they take action.
"Probably half of the beach has disappeared," Mr O'Shea said. "It is a very worrying situation. We need to know how to get the sand back. It appears that there must not have been proper environmental study done before the pier was built." Mr O'Shea said the beach is a major asset to the island not alone for the island's 165 inhabitants to disport themselves but also from a tourism viewpoint.
"I have asked the company to come back and have a look at what is happening. They keep promising to come but so far haven't done so. Rocks have been exposed, probably due to the change of direction of the tide.
"We need somebody now to tell us how to get the sand back. All of these things should have been taken into consideration before the job was done. Whilst we are very satisfied with the pier, the situation with the beach is a different matter."
A spokesman for consulting engineers Malachy Walsh & Partners said the person dealing with the Clare Island project was unavailable as he was on holidays.