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Displaying items by tag: Campaigners Public Meeting

#BullochHarbour - A major campaign in Dalkey is under way to stop what has been described as the ‘Costa del Sol’ style development at Bulloch Harbour in south Dublin.

As The Irish Times writes on the eve of its 200th anniversary, the coastal inlet has been selected by developers as previously reported on Afloat for a commercial and residential scheme that would visually transform a postcard quay popular with fishermen and tourists.

The controversial plans have drawn the ire of local residents, more than 300 of whom crammed into a public meeting at the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel in Killiney on Thursday to discuss mass opposition.

A 50-minute presentation described a harbour that has existed for hundreds of years and whose modern walls were constructed over just eight months in 1818.

In December, Bartra Capital Ltd, founded by developer Richard Barrett, filed a planning application that would see the replacement of a number of disused sheds with seven ground floor commercial units and six three-storey terraced dwellings,plus a further three houses to the rear.

“This development could be taken from the Costa del Sol. It’s not Irish seaside architecture,” said Susan McDonnell, chair of the Bulloch Harbour Preservation Association (BHPA), outlining the contentious plans.

Those in attendance groaned at a crude computer mock-up depicting dark buildings towering over the existing colourful harbour scene.

For more including slide images of a before and after of the projected development (3-D graphic above) at Dalkey click here.

 

 

Published in Dublin Bay

Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!