Should DCC close Bull Island?

Gloomtastic! · 21-03-2026 09:46AM

No, what I’m saying is there are now so many exceptions to what dogs and their owners perceive to be acceptable that the only way round this is one rule for all.
There are people out there that think picking up poo and then leaving the bag behind is acceptable behaviour. That’s the mentality that needs to be tackled.

Citizen Six · 21-03-2026 11:48AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124329105#Comment_124329105

"But the bags are biodegradable!"

John_Rambo · 21-03-2026 01:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124329105#Comment_124329105

On lead, off lead, they'll still leave shlt behind them, they're scumbags. I'd encourage anybody witnessing it to call them out while recording on their phone. They really really don't like it.

Gloomtastic! · 21-03-2026 01:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124329410#Comment_124329410

I’ve yet to spot one. Sneaky feckers. God help them when I do. I’ve years of pent up anger to hurl at them.

Cyclingtourist · 21-03-2026 06:29PM

The wintering birds don’t know they’re in a sanctuary they fly off regularly to parks, playing fields and grass where they apparently feel perfectly safe despite being surrounded by people going about their daily lies.

They vote with their wings.

elperello · 21-03-2026 06:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124330326#Comment_124330326

They kind of do know they're in a sanctuary when there's not an over excited pooch chasing them.

Cyclingtourist · 21-03-2026 07:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124330374#Comment_124330374

They fly to St. Anne's Park, Alfie Byrne Roag and Sutton and are more accessible to pooches and their larger cousins. Can't say I've ever seen a pooch or any dog, on the salt marshes in all my years cycling past.

magicbastarder · 21-03-2026 08:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124330326#Comment_124330326

what's that got to do with the issues at hand? you see wintering birds - brent geese maybe - but what has that got to do with disturbance of breeding birds? which is one of the main issues mentioned in the article in the OP.

elperello · 21-03-2026 08:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124330537#Comment_124330537

Just keep the pesky pooches out of the bird sanctuary.

The birds will take it from there.

John_Rambo · 21-03-2026 09:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124330537#Comment_124330537

Yeah, they get great grazing on all the pitches but the salt marshes on Bull Island is the reason the Brent geese are here at all. It’s their winter food source, glasswort, sea plantain, saltmarsh grasses, all high energy superfood for geese they need after flying from the Arctic and to get them back. It’s also one of the few places they can feed safely without constant disturbance (or should be able to do so), which matters because every time they’re flushed they’re burning energy they can’t afford to lose.

Take away or disturb the salt marsh and you don’t just move the geese on, you reduce their chances of making it back north.

I'm on the Island every week, multiple times and I see dogs in the salt marshes all the time, there's massive amount of dog shlt along the golf clubs fences on either side of the causeway.

Cyclingtourist · 21-03-2026 09:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124330752#Comment_124330752

They must love those pooches, keep following them home to Sutton and elsewhere.

elperello · 21-03-2026 10:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124330887#Comment_124330887

You're not listening.

The birds know what they're doing just leave them to it.

It won't interfere with your cycling anyway.

magicbastarder · 21-03-2026 10:55PM

'hello, i don't know what i'm talking about and i'm here to tell you all about it'.

Strumms · 22-03-2026 02:44AM

it’s been an amenity I’ve enjoyed since childhood right up to and through adulthood to the present day.

Never brought a dog there, never drove illegally or dangerously, never left rubbish about the place……which is id imagine the same as 99% of people using and enjoying the area.

So let’s punish 100% of the people when a minute percentage of people are responsible. 🥱… Something very 2026 Ireland about that.

Cyclingtourist · 22-03-2026 10:57AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124331421#Comment_124331421

The OP IT article would give you the impression that the popularity of Bull Island is some kind of recent development but Dollymount Strand. including the sand dunes, has been a north side public amenity for over a century since the wooden bridge was constructed in the early years of the 20th century..

The biggest change was the building of the Raheny causeway to facilitate cars in the early 1960s which curiously the article doesn't highlight. There certainly could be a case made to close the causeway or make it only accessible by cyclists and pedestrians but that's not going to happen either.

It's all pie in the sky stuff.

donaghs · 28-03-2026 10:39AM

In terms of protecting the hares, could a dog-proof fence around some of the dunes be one answer? until we can get some kind of dog rules enforcement.

I like dogs, and i understand why people like walking them off leads, and that most dog owners are responsible - but there are enough bad ones, who's dog are off the lead, wandering around **** everywhere. while owners are oblivious, or pretending to be. Psycho dogs off the leads are also often a hazard to other dogs - despite their owners assurances "he grand", "hes only playing" etc.

odyssey06 · 28-03-2026 01:31PM

The coffee shop has brought a lot more visitors to the Wooden Bridge end, but that crowd are probably less likely to be the sort to go into the dunes \ disturbing wildlife.

John_Rambo · 28-03-2026 01:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124346887#Comment_124346887

I'm with you, love dogs, know they need off lead socialisation and exercise but not in the dune system, the salt marshes or the whole Sutton tail end of the island. The dunes are constantly shifting so fencing is hard and they impact on the wildlife too. It's purely down to asshole dog owners, catching and fining is the only solution. Constant patrolling, drones, bodycams, etc…

expectationlost · 28-03-2026 07:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124321953#Comment_124321953

https://www.dublininquirer.com/the-tip-of-bull-island-has-been-slowly-disappearing/

I don't see how this is problem.

John_Rambo · 03-04-2026 10:27AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124347715#Comment_124347715

Yes, it’s constantly shifting. There’s a strong tidal flow between Sutton and the island, particularly on a spring tide, and it steadily eats away at the sand. But then it seems to build itself back up again every so often.

During the Southerly storm surges & spring tides earlier this year, the island was nearly breached in half along the Raheny side. It really showed how dynamic it is and how quickly things can change out there, it was back to it's original state pretty soon.

magicbastarder · 03-04-2026 11:02AM

just curious about how many public spaces like that do not allow dogs (except guide dogs, obviously).

the botanic gardens is one example; but is a different beast to bull island as the gardens have managed opening hours.

Should DCC close Bull Island?

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