The beach is changing.
We're keeping watch.
Fingal County Council has fenced off dune areas and planted Lyme grass along Balbriggan's Front Strand. Save Our Sand Balbriggan is the independent group of neighbours documenting what that's actually done to the beach and pressing for a real say in what happens next.
Three things worth a closer look
None of this is a secret, you can see it on the beach today. What's missing is a clear public account of why it happened and what it's cost.
Chestnut paling fences
Rows of timber paling now trap sand against the harbour wall and promenade. They've cut into publicly accessible beach space, and storm damage means sections collapse and get rebuilt again and again, a recurring cost with no end date.
Lyme grass planting
Lyme grass has been planted to stabilise the new dune areas. It's sharp underfoot and hazardous for children and barefoot beach users, and it's changed the visual character of a coastline that was open and walkable for generations.
A thin evidence base
We've asked what data justified fencing off this much beach. So far, the case made public is thin. We think decisions that reshape a shared amenity this much deserve a clearer, more open evidence base, and real consultation.
Understand the actual debate
Four plain-language explainers on how dunes form, what Lyme grass does differently to marram grass, when erosion is actually a crisis, and what good community engagement looks like. No science background required.
Visit the Knowledge HubEvery year, the same view
Browse the beach across the decades and add your own photos. This archive is the digital foundation for CoastLens — a physical viewing frame we're planning for the beach itself, so anyone can scan a code and see this exact view through time.
Browse the Photo Archive