There has been an enormous amount of repair work on the peninsula since the terrible storms of early 2014. Here's a rundown on some of what has been to done (as at 14th May 2014) to effect repairs since then.
Starting with Omey, as everyone knows there was vast coastal erosion all round the island during the winter storms. Unprecedented erosion, you might say. Since then, the farmers have been hard at it: removing the massive amounts of stones and boulders from their fields; repairing or making new drainage ditches; rebuilding dry-stone walls; and recovering and remaking fences. After the storms, there were long runs of fence-posts just dangling in mid-air, where the land had been eroded from underneath them.
On the West side of Omey, the erosion at what most of refer to as Pascal's Beach was amazing. But men have been hard at it. There's a new stack of large boulders against the new sand cliffs verging the beach, and a long line of Phormium (New Zealand Flax) have been planted along the edge of the grass - presumably so their roots may eventually bind the sandy soil together and reduce further erosion.
It may be of interest to local people to learn that the marble plaque that had been firmly mounted onto a massive granite boulder on Omey - a plaque in memory of Maureen Gordon Burke who was born on Omey but died in the States - disappeared during one of the worst of the storms. At the time, we looked around for it but there was no sign, and I suppose it was smashed into tiny pieces. We have what may be the last photo taken of it - it was taken at the end of last November - so it's good to have that as a token of something lost.
On Omey Strand, there's a fine new line of shiny steel posts, concreted firmly in place; and just this week boasting brand new arrow signs showing the way from the mainland slipway to the road across Omey Island itself. In the carpark at Omey Strand, there's a brand new Information sign - which we're given to believe will in due course display the tide times for visitors. And that's probably a good addition, even though the tides there sometimes don't obey the tables, especially when there's a deep depression out to the west, or a strong gale out there.
The road leading from the C'duff Church down to Omey Strand is being resurfaced - not all the way, but nearly all the way. Hard core has been laid, and deep drainage ditches re-opened along the sides of the roads, and presumably the new surface will be laid soon.
In fact there has been resurfacing all around. The road down to Rossadilisk has been resurfaced - a good thing too, since in any sunshine (assuming we get any) the tar used to melt and run and be a real menace for walkers.
And the road from Aughrusbeg, up along the side of Lough Atalia towards the Aughrusmore road, has had long stretches resurfaced as well, as has the road at Mourneen up towards the reservoir.
A lot of the stones - and there were a lot - have been cleared away from the grass verge, where campers often park up, along the causeway at the head of Cleggan Bay. Down at Sellerna Beach, many of the stones there have been moved to make it much much easier to gain access to the beach itself. And at Trá Bhríde at Rossadilisk, the "Brian De Courceys" have done a really fine job of clearing up and even improving. The wooden steps they had thoughtfully erected a year ago down to Trá Bhríde itself were washed away in the storms, and we wonder whether they'll be replaced? But that's just quibbling. Well done the De Courceys!
So you can see that a great deal has been done, and congratulations all round.
A couple of spots still urgently need attention, and we wonder whether the delay is due to the Council trying to work out how to prevent a recurrence of the damage done this winter. The road running along beside the Anchor Beach at Aughrusbeg has had some temporary work done on it, and it's been passable for some time. But there's an urgent need for more work to be done there, and the roadway and parking areas replaced. It's such a popular set of beaches for locals and visitors alike, during the summer season.
And the land end of Aughrus Pier remains in desperate need of repair work - of rebuilding, really. There was a lot of erosion to the land immediately to the WNW of the pier, and one could easily imagine that the County Council may be scratching their heads to work out how best to protect any repair work. But there's an urgency there, since the pier is so much used by fishermen during the fishing season - which is already under way.