Starting your staycation down west?

It might be best to avoid some of Cork’s best beaches for the foreseeable, with Cork County Council warning of double dangers in Barleycove this weekend.

“Barleycove pontoon used to safely access the beach was badly damaged in recent storms and there is no safe public access to the beach for the remainder of the bathing season.” said a County Council spokesperson.

The Council estimate that works to repair the pontoon will take at least three weeks, during which time it will be out of service.

“Do not attempt to access via the stream as there are dangerous currents here.” added the spokesperson.

Water quality issues

A number of other popular Cork beaches are also out of bounds for now.

Due to very heavy rainfall, environmental experts believe it is possible that water quality may have also be affected at Barleycove Beach, as well as beaches in Tragumna, Youghal Claycastle, Youghal Front Strand, Garryvoe, Fountainstown, Garretstown, the Warren, Cadogans, Red Strand, Rocky Bay, Oysterhaven, Ballynamona, Ballyrisode, Rosscarbery Lagoon and Coolmaine.

Prior Warning notices at all of these beaches have been extended to Thursday, September 3rd, 2020.

At Coolmaine Beach, recent changes to the course of the Kilbrittain River mean there is now a dangerous channel cutting off safe access to the bathing area. The County Council warned that at low tide, a very strong current could ‘easily sweep swimmers out to sea’ and asked the public to avoid swimming and all watersports in the area.