Save Beach Rides

doctor evil

The Cork County Council is proposing to change the bylaws regarding activities on beaches. One of the proposals is to ban horse riding on all Cork beaches between 11 am and 7 pm, outside these times a specific license will be required.

Beach riding is very popular in Cork and if this is passed it is only a matter of time before other County Councils enforce similar changes in their areas.

Please, everyone, make written submissions to:

Secretary,
Coastal Management Committee,
Ardmanagh House,
Ardmanagh,
Schull,
Co. Cork

by 15 March 2010

There is a facebook page set up, Cork People Versus Ridiculous Beach Bylaws.

What next will be banned if the bylaws go through: dogs will have to kept on a leash of less than 2 metres while on the beach between 11am an 7 pm. Jogging in sand dunes. Archery. Paint-balling. Golf. Bonfires. Quad bikes, or any other mechanically propelled vehicle will be prohibited in the dunes at all times.

Please write a protest letter/fax/email/phone call.

The more protesters, the better.

http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/web/Cork%20County%20Council/Departments/Divisional%20Services/Coastal%20%26%20Recreation

http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/web/Feedback

Jemmy

Are these times not enforced on all beaches in Ireland?

Up in wicklow Brittas Bay is very popular for it and same rules apply afaik, and I think in the morning the times are earlier. No licence is required but from what I remember, havent ridden on it for a few yrs, it was before 8/9am.

convert

I remember this was on Joe Duffy's Radio show a few weeks back. I was very tempted to phone/text in and ask them if they were going to ban young children on the beach, or at least require them to be kept on a short lead. They're far more annoying and much more likely to cause problems on the beach!

The only reason that this is coming to the fore is because one or two councillors (and one of whom is a member of the opposition party) was p**sed off that point-to-pointers were exercised on the beach in the early morning during the 'Big Freeze'. She also objected to rugby/GAA players running in the dunes. Ffs, why not just stop people from walking on the beach altogether. :rolleyes: It's just another example of the ridiculous over regulation that's going on in and crippling this country. There's far more important things to be discussing.

I've no problem with some reasonable restrictions being placed on riding on the beach - riding on the beach at any time during the day is not too bad for most days of the year. It's only when the beach is really busy (i.e. during the few and sparse 'summer' days we get during the year) that riding at peak times should possibly be restricted. Outside of that, it's pretty safe to ride on the beach at any time provided the owner/rider aren't careless.

However, in relation to my last point, one good argument was made by a caller who highlighted that in the majority of Bord Fáilte ads, there's always a picture of horses trekking/cantering on the beach at 'peak' times. If this is being used to attract tourists to Ireland then I think they'd be most upset if they were told that they had to get up at 5am on their holidays just to go for a canter on the beach. Not much of a holiday in that !

doctor evil

Over regulation is exactly what it is, I really hope this doesn't go through even though I don't live in Cork.

If they bring in licences you can gearantee it will be another form of stealth tax.

steph1

Thats the way this country is going. Nothin but rules and regulations. And the more regulations they can get away with bringing in, the more fines they can think up with which to slap us with. :mad:

shanagarry

That's terrible. Beaches are supposed to be public amenities for everyone to use - since when did people with buckets and spades get precedence over people with horses? And I agree with the above post - the licence is just a money making exercise.

GeeGee21

Part of the problem though is a lot of people with horses do take liberties. i ride on a beach in dublin every week and ALWAYS bring a shovel and brush to clean up any mis-haps on the pavement beside where we park , but you wouldn't believe the amount of people wiht horses that don't - it's just left on the pavement / road and that really pi**es people off! we've all got to make sure we add to the beach- people regularly ask can they take photos of my horses and most i think enjoy seeing them on the beach, but some people with horses don't have respect for the ammenity we're using. surely a time restriction of off the beach by 11am is ok? and infinitely better than a complete ban. early morning on the beach is the best of time of the day anyway in my view!

granturismo

shanagarry wrote: »

T...- since when did people with buckets and spades get precedence over people with horses?...

Because they account for the majority.

Devils's advocate here - Dogs are or should be restricted because their owners cant clean up after them and same goes for horses whose riders are only trying to reinforce their social dominance over the bucket and spade majority. Geegee 21 also makes a good point.

Its may be about perception and attracting votes in the next general and local election. There may have been genuine problems on some beaches but beach riders are a minority, are perceived to be able to afford a horse and accoutrements over a 'bucket and spade' and therefore an easy target.

There are obvious reasons for Cork CC to ban some of the other activities but any objections re beach rides need to be properly argued and the Failte Ireland ads are a good start.

steph1

I would rather see dogs and horses on the beach than people bringing cars and vans onto the beach which can be more dangerous.

doctor evil

GeeGee21 wrote: »

a time restriction of off the beach by 11am is ok? and infinitely better than a complete ban. early morning on the beach is the best of time of the day anyway in my view!

What about trekking centres?

Tourists are not going to want to get up at silly oclock to go for a beach ride.

Unfortunately bridle ways do not exist in Ireland and roads are not going to be getting any quieter, we must protect what we have.

Ave Sodalis

This law is un-necessary and completely uncalled for. What about the racing yards who use the beaches for a long gallop because they don't have a track? Or as mentioned before, tourists? Cars are far more dangerous, and they are not banned, a horse at least would make an effort not to run over people!

What about the smaller, less known beaches that aren't used for tourists except the odd one or two? I was talking to a friend who was told by an American that one of his favourite things to see one a beach is a horse, and this wasn't someone who has a particular interest.

It's ridikulas! I'm getting tired of unthought through, silly ideas to make money. It'll just end up for the worst in the long run and tourist numbers will be reduced. Isn't one of Failte Ireland's opening pictures of a rider on a beach?:mad:

doctor evil

Update

* 112 letters were entered online.
* 107 letters were submitted to the Coastal Management Committee.
* 4 of the letters submitted expressed full support for the proposals.
* 103 of the letters submitted expressed concerns or objections.

Thank you to everyone who voiced their opinions, and we will update these pages as and when the final bye-law proposal is published.

http://www.westcorktoday.com/bbl.php

Yeager101

Hi,
I have a riding school and trekking center and we are thinking of starting up the beach rides again in Brittas. Been busy with school bookings on the weekends, we can only think about beach rides in the mornings during the week at this time.
So I'm just posting in here to see what you think about it and do you think it would be worth while? Personally, I love getting out on the beach with the horses and have always been off before 10am.

A big problem in offering these rides is the overhead factor though. Im not too sure many Irish people who are not on holidays would be able to get out in the morning though.

Thanks