Clontarf’s Coastal Defenses: A Decade of Debate and Delay

The image of a man standing on a garden wall on the Clontarf Road in north Dublin, his hand raised to the waves surging towards him, which appeared on the front of The Irish Times after the February 5th floods, evokes the tale of King Cnut.

Cnut, also known as Canute the Great, was not attempting to demonstrate control over nature when he commanded the sea not to soak him. Rather, the 11th-century Viking king was illustrating the limits of his power in the face of an irresistible force. Similarly, Garrett Connolly, the man on the wall, wasn’t attempting to hold back the tide; he was waving at passing buses. “That was me standing on the wall trying to acquire the buses to slow down. There was one wave they sent over the flood gate and I could have surfed on it. I was furious,” he stated.

The February 5th Flooding

From around 1pm on Thursday, February 5th, Connolly observed waves cresting the sea wall and gradually inundating his chiropractic clinic on the coast road. He initially believed the high water had passed by 2:15pm, but the flooding continued, breaching a small wall between the footpath and bicycle track. This breach created a “lovely little waterfall” and quickly filled the road. Connolly deployed a floodgate, and Dublin City Council workers rapidly stacked sandbags to protect properties.

A History of Flooding in Clontarf

While the recent efforts prevented water from entering properties, residents recall past inundations. Connolly noted that in 2004, businesses were flooded to ankle depth, forcing one to close briefly for reconstruction. He added that he had never seen water enter his building.

Significant tidal events occurred in 2002 and 2004, flooding houses and businesses along the Clontarf Road. Prior to these events, the risk of sea flooding in Clontarf hadn’t been fully appreciated, as the last major tidal flood had occurred in 1922.

Defense Plans and Local Opposition

Following the 2002 and 2004 floods, the council began designing defenses, submitting an application to An Bord Pleanála in 2007 and receiving permission in 2008. Yet, substantial local opposition emerged in 2011 when the proposed defenses – a combination of earth mounds and walls up to 2.75m (9ft) in height – became visible.

Residents, who hadn’t objected at the planning stage, expressed concerns about the height and visual impact of the embankments. The council offered to reduce the height to 2.17m (7ft), but this also faced resistance, leading to the shelving of the scheme. A working group was established in 2013 to find a solution.

In 2014, agreement was reached on a dual-wall defense, involving the existing sea wall and a recent wall near the roadside. The promenade would be used to contain floodwaters. Designs for this solution, with the new wall reaching heights of 1.6m (5ft 3in), were produced in 2018. However, opposition to the heights persisted, and in 2020, the council proposed using demountable barriers where defenses would exceed 1.2m.

Ongoing Delays and Current Status

Little progress has been made since 2020. The council stated last month that it would engage new consultants by the end of the year, but completion of the defenses is not expected before 2033. Meanwhile, Uisce Éireann’s watermains replacement project is underway along the coast road, requiring excavation of the promenade, which may demand to be re-excavated when the defenses are eventually built.

Resident Concerns and Priorities

Deirdre Nichol and Eilish O’Brien, of the Clontarf Residents Association, emphasize that their concerns have been misunderstood. “We’ve been saying, right from the beginning, we absolutely want the flood defenses, but we don’t want to lose the promenade,” Nichol stated. They prioritize maintaining the amenity space used by the entire city, and express concerns that a higher wall would compromise safety, particularly for women, by reducing passive surveillance from the road.

O’Brien added that the core principles guiding the discussions are to provide flood defense, preserve the environment, promote amenity, and protect public safety. She emphasized that the debate isn’t about preserving a sea view.

Differing Perspectives

Joe McDonagh, a resident since 2000, believes the council should proceed with the defenses. He argues that prioritizing views over protection is misguided. Shamus O’Donnell, who moved to the seafront in 2023, supports the council’s defenses, acknowledging the risks of coastal property ownership.

As stated by McDonagh, “Isn’t it better to be feel secure rather than thinking, ‘Oh, I’m missing a lovely view?’”.