Sir, – I wish to express my absolute shock and horror at the proposed flood defences for the Clontarf Road (Frank McDonald, Home News, October 12th) .
I am Clontarf-born and bred and have been living here all of my life (over 40 years), as has my husband.
My family home is on the seafront – and my nieces/nephew are the fourth generation of my family living there now. Our house was flooded back in the early 1980s – but even after that experience, there is no way that these proposed flooding defences should even have been contemplated, never mind set into motion.
The seafront and its amenities are part of what makes Clontarf special. I want my kids to grow up and appreciate its beauty, and to enjoy the same facilities that we did growing up.
There are many other options available to ensure flooding doesn’t occur – one look at the quays in Waterford shows what a bit of thought and foresight can achieve. If the proposed defence plan is allowed to happen Clontarf will be destroyed forever. Let the Battle of Clontarf re-commence! – Yours, etc,
Sir, – It appears lessons have not been learned by Dublin City Council following the Civic Offices debacle of the 1980s in which historic artefacts from Ireland’s ancient Viking past were treated with extraordinary contempt just so that the council could forge ahead with the construction of its “landmark” headquarters on Wood Quay. Now we hear of the council’s draconian plans to erect a 2.75m flood defence wall along Clontarf Road (Home News, October 12th), thereby eliminating the majestic northside sea view enjoyed by many Dubliners (not just those living in Clontarf) for centuries and immortalised by Joyce and others.
I do hope common sense prevails and an alternative, less insensitive, approach is adopted by Dublin City Council. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – As a Clontarf resident, I am heartened by the increase in tourists this wall will bring. One question remains – where will our Checkpoint Charlie be? – Yours, etc,