To refuse to swim on the east coast of Ireland because of the pollution in the sea?

[BabyMakesMyEyesGoSleepy]

DH thinks I am. We are heading to a holiday home on the east coast but I am absolutely not going to put a toe or allow the DC to go into the water. I just feel that its not worth the risk.

So don't, then

Eh?

I live in Dublin and I don't think I've ever been in there see here! Generally, Dubliners aren't being on the beach, as the ones here aren't great. If place you're going is more like Wexford, then the beaches and water there are quite good. I wouldn't have any problem getting in the water there. Also, it's that bit farther away from Sellafield. But I wouldn't worry too much about it - the weather probably won't be good enough for this sea swimming anyway!

I think it's a bit unfair to stop the kids swimming if their dad will be going in.

We were never allowed in the sea in Dublin as DC's as my mum was terrified of the radiation from Sellafield somehow coating us .

I've just looked here and there are 70 blue flag beaches in Ireland - 4 in Wexford (if that's where you're going), so it'll be fine. In this weather you'd be mad to pay to go to a pool when you can go to a clean beach for free.

So, YABU - seaside holidays are the best for DC. Don't make them miss out needlessly

I live on the East Coast of Ireland (Dublin ) and there are loads of beaches with blue flags which mean they are safe to swim in. My kids have been swimming loads this summer as we are having really great weather. Below are a list of the beaches on the west coast that have been awarde a blue flag

Republic of Ireland
Louth

1. Templeton

1. Port

1. Clogherhead

Dublin

1. Seapoint

1. Killiney

Wicklow

1. Greystones

1. Brittas Bay North

1. Brittas Bay South

Wexford

1. Courtown

10. Curracloe

11. Rosslare

Waterford
12. Tramore

13. Clonea

Here are some of the criteria for getting a blue flag:

1.Environmental Education and Information Provision
Information about the Blue Flag Programme must be displayed.
Environmental education activities must be offered and promoted to beach users.
Information about bathing water quality must be displayed.
Information relating to local eco-systems and environmental phenomena must be displayed.
A map of the beach indicating different facilities must be displayed.
A code of conduct that reflects appropriate laws governing the use of the beach and surrounding areas must be displayed.

1. Water Quality

The beach must fully comply with the water quality sampling and frequency requirements of the Blue Flag programme. The beach must fully comply with the standards and requirements for water quality analysis. No industrial, waste-water or sewage-related discharges should affect the beach area. The beach must comply with the Blue Flag requirements for the microbiological parameter faecal coli bacteria (E.coli) and intestinal enterococci/streptococci. The beach must comply with the Blue Flag requirements for physical and chemical parameters.

So yes yabu

What evidence do you have to support this, the beaches and water are monitored very closely and are flagged accordingly, stick to the blue flag beaches and you should be fine

YABU

We'll be in around Bray so its probably worse than Wexford.

DH thinks I should let DC, would other posters allow it? I know people go into the sea everyday but I'm just a lot bit paranoid about it.

Huh? What am I missing? I'm from and live in Dublin and we have lots of fantastic beaches reiltin Once the sun comes out all the Dubs flock to the nearest beach

Whereabouts are you staying op ?

Your DH can let the dc in!! They don't exclusively belong to you!

What do you mean "worse than Wexford" - worse than very clean, sandy, blue flag beaches?

Crossed post op
Bray is a lovely spot i would have no issue with my dcs going into the water.

What are you worried about?

I was in Bray all day Saturday with my dd aged 5. We had a magic day. Climbed to the top of Bray head and she went swimming. Its not the nicest of beaches for swimming as its quite rocky but it seemed fine for swimming. Brittas Bay is only down the road and has a blue flag and Killiney is only a couple of miles the other way and has a blue flag.

Thanks for the link to blue flag beaches,will check them out.

The irish sea is the most radioactive sea in the world which is why I'm suspicious.

I meant worse than Wexford as in radiation wise. I went to curraclo years ago and it was a lovely beach.

The irish sea is the most radioactive sea in the world

Really? please think about what you say,

google Fukushima Daini and then come back.

or bikini atoll

The french have plants every few miles, and no one worries about going in the sea off our SW coast.

It'll be fine - honestly.

There's a lot less waste in the sea since the 70's and what is there, is almost exclusively around Cumbria not Dublin.

But Bray's not sandy - for bucket & spades I'd recommend driving on to Brittas Bay. It's lovely there!

Quote - if you google most radioactive sea in the world, all the results will be about the Irish sea - it's a line that Greenpeace have been using for decades.

We were always told it was the most radioactive sea in school, I did some project work on the erosion of each coastline,differences,cause etc which is how it came up in school if anyone is wondering.

I was in the sea here in NI just yesterday and it was fabulous. It's every person's own choice of course but I have always encouraged my DS to swim in the sea and swim regularly myself.

So far neither of us has grown 30ft, turned green and started attacking Japan tho we both like a bit of sushi, not sure if that's the first sign

Hopefully the weather will keep and we'll head to Brittas bay. Is it a tourist spot? I'm leaving a tourist spot .

Ah I know I won't turn into Godzilla but I'm just suspicious.

I doubt very much they'd get blue flag status if the water was radioactive. I'd hazard a guess that would fail the criteria.

Or go the other way, Velvet strand Portmarnock, Donabate, Portrane. All lovely. Or Silver Strand in Wicklow. One of the fabulous things about living in Dublin is being able to get on the beach within half an hour. Think the OP is not being logical...

it is difficult to find actual facts for this, but the main risk from radioactivity in the Irish sea seems to be from seafood. And if Wikipedia is to be believed, even if you ate nothing but you'd still get a lot less radiation from it then all of us get every day from simply living on this planet.

of course, getting on a plane exposes you to higher radiation levels. Going to stop your kids doing that?