Flashers and fires on one of the country's most popular beaches
The incidents occurred at Dollymount Strand during the past two bathing season.
Lifeguards at one of Dublin’s most popular beaches have reported having to deal with everything from a man exposing himself to members of the public to discarded syringes and underage drinking.
The incidents occurred at Dollymount Strand during the past two bathing seasons and were recorded by lifeguards in log books, which reveal a pattern of antisocial behaviour at the picturesque beach.
Gardaí and firefighters were also regularly called to extinguish blazes in the dunes and to disperse groups of “partying” teenagers, according to the logs, which were obtained under freedom of information.
On June 11 last year, lifeguards were alerted to a man who had travelled to the beach by car.
He was “exposing himself to members of the public” before being “moved on” by gardaí, the log books state.
A week later, gardaí were called twice in a single day to deal with “kids” who had started fires in the dunes, and “a crowd of 50 teenagers” who were “partying in the grey shelter”.
On another occasion, youths were reported drinking in the same shelter and throwing bottles.
The following day, lifeguards had to administer first aid to a child who presented with glass in their foot.
The records also contain details of rescues at Dollymount Strand.
In July 2019, lifeguards had to launch a speedboat to retrieve a man on a paddleboard with a dog and two young children after they drifted into a shipping lane.
Syringes were found twice in the space of four days in June 2018. A sharps box is kept in the lifeguards’ hut for the disposal of such items.
At least six fires required the attention of lifeguards or emergency services over the course of the two seasons.
On June 23, 2018, a fire in the sand dunes escalated and the fire service was called.
However, lifeguards reported that “as soon as that fire was put out, another one was started by a group of youths”.
Gardaí were subsequently called, and they dealt with the youths who were responsible while the second fire was extinguished by firefighters, according to the logs.
Antisocial behaviour at the popular beach first came to public attention in 2018, when reports emerged of naked men having sex in sand dunes, and “weird” individuals stalking women from the bushes.
