Seafield,

Youghal.

Mr. Liam Ryan,

Town Clerk,

Mall House,

Youghal.                                                                    2nd June 2010.

RE: Closure of Diving Rocks

Dear Liam,

I refer to the recent report received by Youghal Town Council which prompted the action of restricting public access to the Diving Rocks. I wish to convey to the Manager the widespread sense of public outrage at this action and to make the following observations on the area and on the report itself:-

1. Description and Significance

The Diving Rocks is one of Youghal`s finest natural amenities situated in one of Youghal`s most scenic locations at the mouth of Youghal harbour where the River Blackwater meets the sea. It is a traditional swimming facility which has been maintained by the local authority for over 150 years. It is accessed by a public path and steps from the main road at Lighthouse Hill and terminates in a concrete platform and steps leading onto the beach. Two parallel rocks (diving rocks) 40-50 feet apart stretch from here into the sea and in between is a fine natural swimming pool usable during the hours just before and after high tide. It is comparable to the nationally famous “Fortyfoot” at Sandycove, Dublin. Anecdotally those who have experienced swimming at the “Fortyfoot” would claim that Youghal`s Diving Rocks facility is superior because of its semi-enclosed location, suntrap character, shelter from prevailing westerly winds and freedom from strong currents in the area between each diving rock.

2  Historical Setting

The Diving Rocks came into being as a swimming amenity consequent to the building of the present-day Youghal Lighthouse between 1848-1852 when the light first became operational. The modern lighthouse was constructed on the exact same site as the older Norman-built 13th Century St. Anne`s Light Tower which it replaced. All materials used in its construction were transported to the site by sea, necessitating the construction of a landing place with its platform and stone steps carved into each diving rock. The access path from the public road is even older and is described by Rev. Canon Samuel Hayman in his book“Memorials of Youghal” as “of the remotest antiquity and often used by seamen and traffickers in ages past”.

3. Safety Record

The Diving Rocks boasts an impeccable safety record. In over 150 years of public usage there has never been a swimming/diving accident or any incident or insurance claim whatsoever regarding the use of this facility by any member of the public. Youghal Lifeboat has never been called to an emergency at the Diving Rocks whereas it has been called many times to incidents along Youghal`s quayside (where anyone falling in to the water is immediately susceptible to being swept away by strong currents) and to the Front Strand/Claycastle.

5. Profile of Users

1. Competent swimmers

Only those who are competent swimmers use the Diving Rocks. Children of primary school age are never present except with their parents. Swimming takes place between the months of May and October. Outside these months the water is too cold. Swimming is impossible (water too rough) during strong onshore South-Easterly/Easterly winds and during these conditions no swimmers can enter the water.

2. Tourists

Tourists walking from town to the beach at the Front Strand cannot resist walking down the path to the Diving Rocks to view the area and take photographs. When they assess the wonderful swimming facility and scenic location they inevitably return to swim/sunbathe/take photographs. At low spring tides the area is accessible from both Greenhole Strand and the Front Strand and during summer it is very popular to walk from the Mall Strand along the beach all the way to the Front Strand and back. Denial of access to the beach at the Diving Rocks (with 2 adjacent viewing areas blocked off) will create a very bad and sad image of Youghal in the minds of very many tourists.

3. Photographers/Artists

Every tourist who visits takes photos of the mouth of the harbour, Monatrea and especially Youghal Lighthouse which is particularly well photographed from either of the Diving Rocks or the beach at low tide (the sun is behind the camera). I recently met three tourists who were filming the lighthouse as part of a holiday around Munster visiting all the lighthouses, photographing them from every conceivable angle and who had stayed in Youghal the previous night. Youghal Lighthouse is unique in that it is the only one in Ireland situated on a main road.

4. Anglers

The Diving Rocks are popular fishing spots on summer evenings when the tide is full especially during August when the mackerel come close to shore.

5. Comments on the Irish Water Safety Report

1. Ref. 2.2.3

The site visit took place on 27th February 2010 at a time of the year when winter conditions prevail, when the sand is removed by winter storms, when sea conditions are invariably rough and when no swimmers are present. At this time of year low rocks are exposed which are covered by sand in summer. There is no evidence that the actual use of the facility by anyone was witnessed by the assessor, Richard McLoughlin. A summer visit would have revealed the real conditions which prevail during the time of highest usage by the general public.

2. Ref. 3.1

The reference to fast currents when the tide is going out is disingenuous because the Diving Rocks can only be used just before and after high tide when there is a good depth of water between both diving rocks. In between each diving rock there are NO currents just an area of safe water. If anyone wants to swim at low tide they do so in the sandy beach area to the south of the Diving Rocks where the water is extremely shallow and safe.

The reference to “when spring tides are in action the area is very dangerous” is misleading. This is only true during conditions of very strong Southeasterly/Easterly winds when swimming is impossible anyway. Spring tides in summer conditions are ideal for swimming and diving.

3. Ref. 3.1.1

“Young people playing on the rocks”. These are young children playing accompanied by and under the supervision of their parents.

4. Ref. 3.1.2

Some points made here are ludicrous. “The pathway would be hard to manoeuvre with a stretcher or any other emergency equipment”. The Coastguard service is trained to bring stretchers down sheer cliff faces. How could a path such as this be a problem for such highly trained personnel?

There is no definition of “other emergency equipment”.

Standard practice is that casualties occurring on water in any area of the harbour are quickly brought by Youghal Lifeboat to Youghal Lifeboat Station where they are met by the Ambulance.

The following quotation is plainly ridiculous “The diving board area is 3 metres above the rocks at low tide which I feel is not sufficient depth for the diver to make safe entry”. Is the assessor seriously suggesting that someone would attempt to dive from the diving board at low tide!?

And again “the board is almost at water level at high tide”. The level of high tide varies according to whether there are spring tides or neap tides i.e from almost at board level during the highest spring tides (twice a month) to about  a metre under the board at the lowest neap tides. How is this a problem? In fact the absence of a problem is borne out by the fact divers have been making safe entry here for over 150 years!

It is extraordinary that no reference has been made by the assessor to the relevance of the safety role provided by the steps carved into each diving rock and to the safety chains provided by Youghal Town Council. These are precisely the safety measures which enable swimmers to avoid the entrapment which he mentions. How could the assessor have missed such salient safety items?

5. Ref. 3.1.3

“The diving area is very unsafe and access to the area should be closed off from the public”. This recommendation is totally unwarranted for all the reasons which I have stated above. It is obvious that this report was compiled without the benefit of specialist local knowledge and this is why it contains such major flaws.

While agreeing with the desirability of improving the pathway, providing more handrails, safety rails, warning signage, safety information board and another lifebuoy, I cannot agree in view of the impeccable safety record of the Diving Rocks, that the entire area should be closed to public access. The present closure from the public road still leaves access from the Greenhole/Front Strand beaches at low tide and now for the first time poses the very real possibility of tourists approaching at low tide, spending time relaxing/sunbathing at the Diving Rocks and being cut off by a rising tide unable to escape up the pathway to the public road as before. In other words a new and real hazard has been created for the public.

6. Ref. 3.5.1

Is the assessor seriously suggesting encouraging the public to use Greenhole Beach for swimming and water sports? Does he know that Greenhole Beach is notoriously unsafe for public bathing with a long history of danger and carrying a red flag to prove it? This beach is rightly shunned for swimming by the public. He condemns the use of an area with a proven safety record and suggests that Cork County Council promote a dangerous one! Enough said!

7. Ref.3.6.1

“Wave profile” Risk Substantial

Only during strong Southeasterly/Easterly winds when swimming is impossible and access is impossible.

“Unsafe access/exit to/from water” Risk Substantial

No reference by assessor to safety chains/steps on diving rocks. This point easily remedied by extra handrails/safety rails

“Cliff falls” Risk Substantial

No record of cliff falls on south side of Diving Rocks. Easily remedied by signage and railing.

“Piers/Structures” Risk Substantial

Easily remedied by handrails.

“Tidal Cutoff” Risk Substantial

Previously highly unlikely but now very likely due to closure of pathway.

“Rip and other strong currents” Substantial

There are no rip currents only an undertow during gale force SE/E winds when swimming and access are impossible.

6. Conclusion

Due to the damage to Youghal`s image as a tourism town which the closure of access to the beach at the Diving Rocks (and the two other viewing areas) entails and due to the numerous statements in this report which can be strongly refuted, I would ask that a second opinion from a suitably qualified person be obtained so that it may be determined (with the benefit of local knowledge) whether closure of this area to the public is justifiable and if so what would be the minimum programme of remedial works that should be carried out to ensure re-opening of public access as soon as possible. I would request that this work be carried out during the summer swimming season at least before the end of August.

Yours sincerely,

________________

Cllr. Liam Burke