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LETTER: Why no toilets at Lough Hyne?

October 8th, 2019 10:07 PM

By Southern Star Team

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SIR – I WONDER if anyone in West Cork has thought about the importance of having public toilets at some of our most important scenic spots? 

SIR – I WONDER if anyone in West Cork has thought about the importance of having public toilets at some of our most important scenic spots? 

Recently I took part in an organised swim in Lough Hyne and was horrified when I was attempting to change (modestly) behind my car, to see I was surrounded by males, just inches away, in the bushes, relieving themselves. 

Locals told me this is a regular occurrence there and that during the busy summer season it is a very common sight with children and adults taking to the bushes around the car park. 

I cannot, for the life of me, see why we insist on promoting scenic spots on the Wild Atlantic Way with prominent signposting and lovely videos if we cannot back it up with basic facilities for human waste.

I dread to think how many people are ‘relieving themselves’ in the open water there. 

It may account for the huge drop-off in sealife like starfish and other fish that I have noticed in my years visiting the lake.

Is it too much to ask for local councilors to put the case for nice local toilets at Lough Hyne to the powers that be? 

Or will eco warriors be out now in their droves complaining that putting toilets there would ruin Lough Hyne’s aesthetic beauty? 

Give me a break. Surely the fish deserve better!

I notice Baltimore has a beautiful large, modern toilet block and Schull’s toilets recently got a facelift. 

But I don’t think either of these towns has the same numbers of young swimming visitors in the summertime as you would see on a hot day in Lough Hyne.

 

Susan Crowe

Ballintemple

Cork city

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