Thugs wreak havoc on historic Loughrea Walks

A gang of thugs destroyed parts of the much loved ‘Walks’ amenity in Loughrea three times in a week – after a massive community effort had restored it to its former glory.

But while first welcoming the retention of the Blue Flag for the ‘grey lake’ in the town, Councillor Michael ‘Moegie’ Maher also revealed people were breaking equipment, pulling down lights and destroying fences along the route which dates back to the 1700s and features a historic moate along the river behind the Main Street.

Since 2017 the stone walls have been undergoing a major programme of repair along the Walks, after a local committee spearheaded a drive to return the amenity to its former grandeur.

Cllr Maher (FG) told this month’s Loughrea Municipal District meeting that said the vandals attacked stretches of it last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, even after it was repaired each day.

It had become a haven for drug taking, he claimed.

“It is alive with drugs unfortunately. Something needs to happen. I’ve been down to the Garda station, and they’ve asked us to put cameras in…it’s pure thuggery. People are afraid to go down there.”

In relation to the loss of the Blue Flag in Traught Beach in Kinvara, Fine Gael Councillor Joe Byrne said the amenity was high in pollution in just two out of 35 samples taken over four years.

The level of pollution was high after periods of heavy rain and as this was a karst region much of the runoff from the land came from surrounding land and into the water. Samples taken within two days of these high levels showed they had returned to normal levels.

The earliest Traught could regain its Blue Flag would be 2025.

He urged Galway County Council to replace its septic tank at the beach which was not up to standard pointing out that the local authority was quick to pursue private householders for inadequate septic tanks but did not have their own in order.

Director of services for the Loughrea area Eileen Ruane said significant progress had been made in relation to replacing the septic tank and some land was required to build it. There was a provision in this year’s budget to carry that out.

It was An Taisce which issued the Blue and Green Flags and they had very strict criteria on what was needed to get the award.

“The message shouldn’t go out it isn’t safe to swim in Kinvara. There’s excellent water quality there.”