Clone Beach Opens New Wheelchair Access Ahead of Castletown River and Nature Festival

A major step forward for beach accessibility has been welcomed in Castletown, with new wheelchair access facilities officially opened at Clone Beach.

The improvements, delivered through a partnership between the Ahare River and Biodiversity Group and Wexford County Council, include the reinstatement of the pedestrian bridge over the estuary, ramp access and beach mats connecting the existing pathway to the beach.

The project follows concerns raised after last year’s Castletown River and Nature Festival, when wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties faced challenges accessing the beach.

Organisers say the changes will ensure more people can enjoy the coastline, including wheelchair users, older people, those with mobility issues and families with buggies.

A beach wheelchair will also be available during the festival weekend, which forms part of National Heritage Week.

This year’s Castletown River and Nature Festival will take place on Friday, 21st August and Sunday, 23rd August.

The programme includes a bat walk and bat box-making workshop as part of the “Wild Child” event, followed by a Water Heritage Family Fun Day on Clone Beach featuring nature exploration, seashore activities and family entertainment.

Chairperson of the Ahare River and Biodiversity Group, Cathy Lee, said the aim is to make sure enjoying the local beach is “a right for everyone, not a privilege for some.”

The group has thanked Wexford County Council for its support, along with campaigners who have worked to improve beach accessibility.

Local wheelchair user Niamh Walsh, who attended the launch, said she was delighted to have the opportunity to return to Clone Beach, a place she had not been able to visit since she was a child.