Sir, – I share the dismay of Kay O'Rourke (October 7th) at the new concrete wall going up along the Clontarf Road. This wall blocks the view of the lagoon and Bull Island from the road and appears to be heading from the causeway all the way to the wooden bridge. None of our local representatives flagged it at the planning stages. All I got through my letterbox was the good news story of work beginning on a new coastal bike path. This view is one of the great joys of living in this part of the city and a major public amenity beloved by generations of locals and day-trippers alike. To add insult to injury, this stretch of the seafront is not prone to flooding. – Yours, etc,
SOPHIE SPALDING,
Raheny, Dublin 5.
Sir, – A new cycle track is being constructed along this stretch of seafront opposite St Anne’s Park and it is certainly wise, while the works are in place, to raise the existing wall a little to prevent possible future sea flooding. However, this high wall is a complete overkill.
In fact, the only time serious flooding occurred here, in my 50 years of living locally, was in the 1980s when unusual conditions caused the Nanikin river, which runs through St Anne’s, to overspill. A study of the river course will show that this event has occurred many times before and will undoubtedly reoccur, however rarely, many more times, so the sea wall will not prevent inland flooding.
At off-peak traffic times, this area is only 10 minutes from the East Link, so I would encourage anyone who appreciates Dublin’s beauty to come and see what is happening here. – Yours, etc,
URSULA MORRISSEY,
Raheny,
Dublin 5.