News and views on Greystones harbour and marina [SEE MODERATOR WARNING POST 1187]

Tabnabs

Any truth to the rumour that parking charges will soon be brought in due to the arrival of a nomadic cultural scouting party in camper vans recently? I hear the gards were called and responded with a shrug of the shoulders as these camper vans weren't breaking any laws...

Derek Mitchell - did he draft that message from the bar or perhaps the balcony of the Royal St George YC? What planet is the guy living on?

Here's a revolutionary idea; (a) get the fishermen involved and actually responsible for their home-port and (b) make the marina staff pick up the litter (water and land) in their business premisses, like every other responsible business owners do!

loyatemu

Derek Mitchell - he's an experienced politician and not an idiot (I've met him and had rational conversations about other issues) but he seems to have a complete blind spot when it comes to the harbour, and that statement makes him seem completely aloof and out-of-touch.

His only interest now seems to be representing the perceived interests of sailors (& in reality I'm sure most sailors don't mind sharing space with fishing boats - it's pretty standard in most harbours).

recedite

There is a big difference between a fisherman landing a catch in the harbour, and him dumping his catch in the harbour. So while in some places there may be an unhygienic practice of dumping unwanted dead fish and clawless crabs over the side while in the berth, a "no dumping" byelaw could easily be introduced for Greystones. Problem solved.

RosieJoe

I read there is a new mural at the North Beach, see here

A group of young people have joined forces with a local artist to help clean up a wall covered in graffiti and create a mural along Greystones North Beach.

The mural is situated where the North Beach meets the newly opened North Pier and it is hoped that this will be the first of many local projects the group will be involved in

pixbyjohn

Photos here, taken by Pat Judge of Greystones>>>
https://www.flickr.com/photos/89239090@N04/14851100871/in/pool-greystonescameraclub

red_bairn

I wouldn't mind helping them out to do more work around Greystones. Needs a bit of colour to be honest and more sculptures.

recedite

pixbyjohn wrote: »

Photos here, taken by Pat Judge of Greystones>>>
https://www.flickr.com/photos/89239090@N04/14851100871/in/pool-greystonescameraclub

Two negative comments, and two positive spring to mind;
Its a bit unnatural looking, probably it would look better in a New York subway than on a Wicklow beach.
It may not survive a winter's sandblasting any better than the cliffs nearby.

Its cheerful and bright and better than bare concrete, or random graffiti on concrete.
Good to see young artists being given the space and facility to practice their talents.

Fiachra2

Tom Fortune responds to Derek's outrageous statement. It would be nice to hear from the rest of the councillors though.

I am away at the moment so i have not been keeping up to speed on a daily basis. I have just read the Metro piece. I also read that someone asked who in the paper wrote this, who gave them the story.
I have read some rubbish in my time but this is right up there.
Yes i am chairman of Wicklow tourism and i fully support the fishermen as i believe everyone knows.
My understanding is that this story is based on a press release from one of our local councillors and nothing to do with anyone from tourism.
Maybe there is a bit of mischief going on here.
From my point of view and i believe from a tourism perspective it is essential that we have fishing boats in Greystones harbour.
The harbour is and should be the peoples harbour where everyone can come and enjoy.
Has everyone read the harbour by-laws, they make for very interesting reading.
THE WAY the Fishermen are being treated as far as I am concerned is just not ACCEPTABLE.
Cllr Tom Fortune
Chairman Municipal District.

Cerco

^^^^
I think Tom Fortune has hit it on the head. The mischief that is.....start a row before the meeting takes place so he can avoid awkward questions.....

legrand

^^^
Would expect the Chair to stick to and not deviate from the Agenda - if there's time then above could be left of AOB if indeed its even a subject for debate.

Tabnabs

Where are the Bye-Lays available to read does anyone know?

Fiachra2

I think they are somewhere on WCC's website.

Tabnabs

They're not, but thankfully some wise person has made the draft bye-laws available publicly.

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/104950

(link at end of piece)

Fiachra2

A Warning to all Fishermen!.
There will be a lot yachts visiting Greystones this weekend for the annual keelboat regatta. Many of these people are very wealthy and their presence is absolutely critical to the future of Greystones (not entirely sure why but apparently that is the case). It is really important therefore that there is no smell or mess caused by commercial fishermen over the weekend. If there is these people might never come back and then where would we be? We would also ask any leisure fishermen around the harbour to make sure their fish are vacuum packed as soon as they are landed (shouldn't be a major problem as Iv never actually seen anyone catch a fish there) and also you guys might want to dress up a bit this weekend as well.

Seriously there will be a great spectacle out on the water on Sunday starting at 10.30. We had 70 yachts last year and it looked great. It also takes your eyes out to sea and off the mess behind you.
Regards
Posh Yachttie

legrand

^^^
Might explain why the grassed area was mowed today (and of course who then has the ear of Sisk/WCC to get get this done?)

eigrod

Fiachra2 wrote: »

A Warning to all Fishermen!.
There will be a lot yachts visiting Greystones this weekend for the annual keelboat regatta. Many of these people are very wealthy and their presence is absolutely critical to the future of Greystones (not entirely sure why but apparently that is the case). It is really important therefore that there is no smell or mess caused by commercial fishermen over the weekend. If there is these people might never come back and then where would we be? We would also ask any leisure fishermen around the harbour to make sure their fish are vacuum packed as soon as they are landed (shouldn't be a major problem as Iv never actually seen anyone catch a fish there) and also you guys might want to dress up a bit this weekend as well.

And Joe Sweeney has been served with a barring order for serving his famous Fresh Cod for the duration of the weekend.

:P

clocha_liatha

hi , i want to post a pic, mods any reason why not , sorry as in i cannot?

LEIN

clocha_liatha wrote: »

hi , i want to post a pic, mods any reason why not , sorry as in i cannot?

You need a post count of 50 or more.

clocha_liatha

hi thanks for info, pity had a grand picture of a harbour in sardinia with yachts and fishing boats living happily side by side and no smell either. 24 posts in 2 years , will post in 2016 , guess the harbour wont have moved on much by then anyway.

Fiachra2

Don't worry clocha. Everyone (bar one person) knows full well that fishing boats and yachts can and do co-exist in harmony. Cllr Mitchell's statement was an embarrassment to all sailors, including the ones I refer to above and I am quite sure that visiting yachtsmen would wish to disassociate themselves from Mitchells sentiments.

Just thought I'd squeeze a bit more fun out of it! And draw attention to the regatta which will be well worth a look.

legrand

could we install one of these at the harbour (just for a little while)?

karma_coma

So i'm assuming this is another construction plan that has been postponed:



Will see what developments come to light in the aforementioned council meeting that was mentioned in previous posts.

Annasopra

legrand wrote: »

could we install one of these at the harbour (just for a little while)?

I wonder who would be put in it...

pixbyjohn

Over Greystones Harbour Marina by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

Langerland

Whats the story with the No Fishing signs on the harbour and men fishing lining both piers??

Heard a bit of a barney between incoming sailors and men fishing over their lines at the weekend.

recedite

Fishing was allowed in the original by-laws, but they should not obstruct/block the harbour entrance with their lines when boats are going in and out.

Cerco

Fiachra2 wrote: »

Post by Tom Fortune on Facebook last night.


It has been agreed ( at tonight's district municipal meeting ) that all the stake holders --- our 5 TD's, sisks , WCC, John O'Brien, (whose company prepared and costed the interim plan for restoring the site) 6 municipal councillors will meet on the 9th Sept . The purpose to discuss the Harbour , what is happening , timelines, community plan, who , what , when ect. Hopefully a path forward in every one's interest can be agreed in the interest of the community.

Did the meeting go ahead last night?
Are there any updates?
I see that the Harbour by- laws have been passed. Was this discussed at the meeting?

Jimjay

Cerco wrote: »

Did the meeting go ahead last night?
Are there any updates?
I see that the Harbour by- laws have been passed. Was this discussed at the meeting?

http://www.greystonesguide.ie/appalling-insult-to-people-of-greystones-as-sisk-spits-in-councils-eye-guboh/

pixbyjohn

pixbyjohn wrote: »

It is obvious that Sisk are not ready to build at the harbour for quite some time and no development will take place until Sisk are ready. It is a very unfortunate situation but that's the reality as the record shows over the past few years. Anything that has or hasn't happened is because of Sisk.

pixbyjohn wrote: »

If the proposed meeting goes ahead with everyone invited taking part and I am not being cynical.

Is there anything that can be done to bring Sisk and Wicklow County Council to task over what is alleged they are failing to do. If they are reneging on the contract then surely there is some action that can be taken.
Comments by various GUBOH members and some politicians over the past several years on Boards.ie, Facebook, Newspapers and East Coast Radio would lead you to believe that something positive is about to happen to force Sisk and Wicklow County Council complete the outstanding work at the harbour. Is it now time for the pressure groups to put up or shut up?

recedite

To be fair to them, all a pressure group can do is to "apply pressure". They can't force WCC to act.

In the last local elections, several councillors who had been "uncritical" of the very cosy WCC/Sisk relationship were replaced by people who were more pro-community. Yet we do not see any change, and recently Tom Fortune announced his resignation as Chairman of the Wicklow County Tourism, implying that the county manager was deliberately starving it of money while he was in charge of it.
So there appears to be a democratic deficit at the heart of it. The public can hire and fire councillors, but the unelected officials just carry on doing whatever they like.