Ruby of the Claddagh Shore


It was lovely to spend an evening over Christmas with the inspiring and environmentally-driven Ruby Lilly in a cleanup of the world renowned Claddagh seashore. Since the beginning of the year, Ruby (a true diamond!) has taken it upon herself to initiate and lead a local community drive to remove plastics, baby wipes, cans, bottles, fishing tackle and so much more from amongst the rocks, sands, seaweeds and grasses of the seashore.
It may deservedly have global fame but sadly Galway Bay is awash with the detritus of humanity.
Since time immemorial, our oceans, seas, lakes and rivers have been used as open sewers and dumping grounds. However since the modern era of plastics and agricultural pesticides, our life-giving waterways are becoming death zones to aquatic life. We know that one of the reasons why populations of birds, turtles, whales and dolphins are plummeting is because of the damage caused by plastics and other man-made debris. Galway-based third level science researchers discovered a few months that plastics were even found inside an array of microscopic creatures living in the deepest parts of the Atlantic Ocean. Sadly no part of the world is immune to the devastation caused by our species.
To support and highlight the great work of Ruby and other volunteers working in Galway’s parks, woodlands, bogs and seashores, there are plans being put in place to organise a large scale cross-sectoral city-wide clean-up of public lands in February as part of the National Park City initiative.
Details to follow after Christmas!

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