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STRESSED-OUT SOUTH WALL TO CLOSE
T
he Great South Wall, one of the areaʼs best-loved and most used amenities, is to close for the Summer while vital structural exploration takes place. As George Kearns mentioned in our April issue, cracks have widened. The Wall was strengthened and refurbished in 2000 by Dublin Port Company at a cost of €3.9 million. Workers at Dublin Port have reported seeing cracks on the wall and the company are doing
tests to examine the extent of the damage. As a result, from early June the wall will be closed to the vast numbers of fishermen, walkers and swimmers usually found there in the Summer months. A spokesman for Dublin Port said the closure of the wall, home to the legendary Half Moon Swimming Club, was “regrettable but absolutely necessary”. “If we could do the work over winter time we would but we canʼt because of the weather,” said Mr Jimmy Carolan, Market-
ing Manager with the Port. “Believe me, we are not happy about it either, but we have no choice”. Mr Carolan said the work was “vital” for two reasons. If the three-mile wall, which dates back to the 1700ʼs, was breached this would be disastrous for Dublin Port. “Within a week of the wall
being breached, the whole area would be covered with sand because of the tides,” said Mr Carolan. He said the work must also be carried out to preserve the safety of the people who come from miles around to enjoy this public resource.
Mr Carolan added that the people who built the wall with granite blocks each weighing a tonne were “geniuses”. “The blocks were carried on barges from quarries in Dalkey across Dublin,” he said. At the time of construction the sea wall was the longest of its kind in the world.
T EXACO T RIUMPH
R UN , B ABY , R UN !
Pictured with his painting ʻLet Sleeping Wolves Lieʼ, winner of first prize in category E of this yearʼs 50th Texaco Childrenʼs Art Comprtition, is Dylan McKeown, age 8, a student at St. Maryʼs Boys National School, Haddington Road. With him is his mother Theresa.
Barnardos and Danone called on thousands of toddlers throughout Ireland to join them for the Danone big toddle for Barnardos, a brand new fundraising event where children get to help other children around the country to raise vital funds for Irelandʼs leading childrenʼs charity. Leading the charge at Little Bo Peep creche are, from left, Katya Lawlor, Padraig Dennan and Lauren Handley. See page 5.