Fanad Coastal Group

A Force 8 gale and “Storm Dave” did not prevent a group of 40 people on Easter Saturday installing a post-and-rope guide for walkers to Ballymastocker Beach. Earlier storms having washed away the established route, they were determined to prevent the dunes being damaged by visitors making their way to the beach. The Fanad Coastal Group with posts and rope supplied by Donegal County Council, set about installing a new path to the waves using volunteer labour and loaned spades, sledgehammers and manual pile-drivers. Sleet and rain lashing their faces, the “Fanad Forty” worked for two hours to save the dunes. “Protecting the dunes from trampling is crucial but it’s a big job,” said a spokeswoman for the Fanad Coastal Group. The added: “The good news is that Donegal County Council will be starting works on the beach in the coming weeks, focusing on re-routing the river and reducing dune erosion. Ballymastocker is a magnificent beach and hugely important to those who live, work and visit here. Let’s show how much we care.”