Union Hall swim hits troubled waters

UNION Hall’s annual charity swim could be in jeopardy because Cork County Council has requested a new event plan.

The swim, which has already raised €100,000 for the RNLI over the last 10 years, was officially postponed on Sunday due to inclement weather.

But locals fear that the lifeboat fundraising committee will only be allowed to set a new date if Cork County Council gives it the go-ahead.

In recent years, locals said all events held in the harbour have come under the Council’s control, and all event organisers must submit an event plan.

Organisers says the Council was told that the event – a 1km or a 2km swim – would be short in duration, and that there would be plenty of safety boats on standby.

Cork County Council has queried the crossing of a commercial channel, given that the swim course goes from Union Hall to Glandore.

A council spokesperson said the council had ‘asked to move the event from the proposed location as swimming in the navigation channel is a danger to traffic and swimmers.’

It is understood that the Council has written to the organisers saying that a fresh application must be submitted, giving three weeks’ notice.

Locals are hoping that the event can be rescheduled for two weeks’ time, when the tides would be favourable to run this event.

Separately, locals and Cork County Council are currently at an impasse over the use of the old pier at Keelbeg, which is located adjacent to the busy commercial pier.

Based on the findings of a consultant engineer report,  the Council announced in April 2022, that ‘robust barriers’ would be put in place at the head of the pier due to  fears of subsidence. But locals are adamant the pier, which is used for a variety of amenities, as well as small scale fishing, should be kept open and in use.

Four months ago, a group of Union Hall residents protested outside County Hall and, on Monday July 17th, a group of about 30 people gathered at the old pier to prevent a contractor putting the barriers in place.