Sir, - My husband and I viscited relations in Mayo last weekend and, availing of the abundant sunshine, decided to explore the beaches in the locality. Unfortunately, on two occasions, we had the beauty of the place spoilt for us by the ignorance and selfishness of others.
On Saturday, June 15th, we parked in the area provided at Mulranny strand. A chip vendor had set up there and, while providing a useful service for those with families etc, the off shoot was several plastic chip cartons and forks strewn on the beach. I picked up some of these and brought them to the bin, which the vendor had provided in front of his van, and asked the girl working there could she please ask people to use this bin. Another related annoyance was the noisy electrical generator that was positioned outside the van - it was clearly audible on the beach.
On the Sunday we spent a few very enjoyable hours at a little cove between Mulranny and Achill and later drove to Keel, intending to go for a swim and a walk on what we knew to be another Blue Flag supervised beach. What awaited us was incomprehensible! We parked close to the strand, only to find that we seemed to be the only people with an ability to read a sign which states: "No cars allowed on beach". A large area close to the life guards' but had been defiled by those who deem themselves beyond the law and had chosen to park their vehicles on the sand.
People were barbecuing with car doors open and, with others actually driving along the beach, it was difficult to get down to the water. En route we passed numerous articles littering the beach, which had been disposed of by our patriotic denizens. They included bottles and beer cans, fast food containers and most foul recently changed disposable nappies. I despair at the mentality required to defile such beauty and the flagrant abuse of law and order, both man made and natural.
What is the answer? The laws and regulations exist, but with no one to enforce them they only uphold the old adage (obviously Irish) that "Laws are meant to be broken"! Is some kind of policing with traffic and litter wardens the solution? After all the high concentration of litter louts and illegal parkers on the beach at Keel last weekend would surely raise sufficient revenue to support the wages of such enforcers for a whole month, if fines had been imposed and collected. Does Mayo county council have to fence off the whole beach?
As an aside, I'd like to see Mr Enda Kenny (Minister for Tourism and West Mayo TD), who was recently praising the aforementioned Blue Flag bedecked beaches in Mayo, explain how and when the same approval was given. I would think in the dead of winter - otherwise this standardisation is a farce! - Yours, etc.,
Galway.