Displaying items by tag: West Cork visitors

11th April 2020

Response of Ferry Firms to Concerns of West Cork Locals Reporting Rise in Visitor Numbers

Rosslare Europort in this photo for AFLOAT which adds in these challenging times the Co. Wexford ferryport is now the nearest to West Cork. As according to EchoLive, Brittany Ferries have suspended all passenger services until further notice on the Cork-Roscoff route and Rosslare-Bilbao. AFLOAT adds however a 'freight' service is maintained to Spain and a new Rosslare-Roscoff route was to have launched last month. This leaves the 'south' of the country with only one Ireland-mainland Europe route, Stena Line's Rosslare-Cherbourg service. As for Rosslare's short-sea services linking the UK, Irish Ferries connect to Pembroke operated by Isle of Inishmore (on left) while Stena Line also serves south Wales to Fishguard using Stena Europe also berthed at the harbour.

Among communities of West Cork towns there are growing concerns as people make their way to holiday homes and caravan parks this week, despite the 2km radius travel restriction put in place by the government.

Locals took to social media, reports EchoLive, to express their concerns and reported seeing an increase in UK vehicle registrations in coastal areas of the county.

Ferry companies who are still operating between the UK and Ireland have advised that passengers should only travel for essential purposes.

Simon Palmer, Communications Manager for Stena Line, which is still operating its ferry service from Fishguard in Wales to Rosslare Harbour in Wexford, said that passenger numbers over the Easter weekend were low.

Speaking to The Echo, he confirmed that a total of 26 passengers are due to arrive into Rosslare on Stena Line ferries over the weekend.

Five passengers are due to travel on Saturday, seven on Sunday and fourteen on Monday.

He said that those passengers who have already travelled to Ireland from Wales were deemed to be taking essential travel.

More on the story including a response from an Irish Ferries spokesperson on the situation click here.

Published in West Cork

Tagged under

Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.