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Cork's Inchydoney beach Peter Zoeller/PA

Irish Coast Guard issues water safety warning after six teens swept out to sea in west Cork

Temperatures over the bank holiday weekend are expected to reach the high 20s.

THE RECENT SPATE of good weather has seen a lot of people flouting the 5km travel restriction to cool down by the beach, according to the Irish Coast Guard. 

The Coast Guard’s deputy director, Gerard O’Flynn has urged the public to take extra precautions and to heed public health advice this bank holiday weekend as temperatures are expected to reach the high 20s. 

The warning comes following two separate incidents in west Cork yesterday afternoon in which six teenagers were swept out to sea. 

Four boys were rescued by members of the public, while two girls eventually made their own way back to shore, a kilometre from where they went missing. 

O’Flynn told Morning Ireland people have liberally interpreted the 5km travel restriction, which he says is a “big problem” as too many people are congregating on beaches.

He said that as the lifeguard service hasn’t been fully activated yet, the fear is that people are swimming in areas that are unsafe. The service usually kicks off on the June bank holiday weekend. 

“At this time of year it’s just too risky to go to any old beach and go in because it just looks attractive,” said O’Flynn. 

Yesterday’s “near-miss” involving four teenagers occurred on Cork’s Inchydoney beach which O’Flynn said has some dangerous swimming spots due to rip currents. 

“Unfortunately, a couple of people got into serious difficulty yesterday and a full search and rescue service was mounted.

Fortunately for those people that were rescued, and fortunately support came from very competent members of the public, who were able to assist the people to get out of the water. 

“It was a near miss yesterday and hopefully people will learn from it,” he said. 

The second incident involving the two girls occurred at Glandore Harbour.

Temperatures over the bank holiday weekend are expected to reach the high 20s but given the time of year, the water is still quite cold. 

“For occasional swimmers, which many people are, it is relatively cold and it can be quite challenging. Don’t be fooled by the sun shining and beautiful days,” he said. 

“But the other thing is don’t swim in an area that you’re not familiar with, because even though beaches can look quite attractive, there are local rip currents which can be highly dangerous. You’re also endangering other people who will endeavour to assist you.” 

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    Mute Garreth Byrne
    Favourite Garreth Byrne
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 2:27 PM

    The young prime minister Gabriel Attal has recognized the genuine grievances of French farmers, shared by farmers in several European countries. Too much unnecessary red tape (bureaucrats trying to intensify their power by imposing increased paperwork); too much blaming food producers for pollution; too much money required to stay in farming. In Brussels, Paris and Berlin there are 5-day civil servants; but there’s no such thing as a 5-day farmer.

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    Mute P. V. Aglue
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 4:36 PM

    @Garreth Byrne: all that red tape creates lots of civil service jobs,and their unsackable.

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    Mute brendan C5
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 5:00 PM

    @jak: to keep your food and drink cheaper than it would be.

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    Mute William Tallon
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 2:33 PM

    You sometimes get the distinct impression that some of Europe’s political elites really don’t have a clue about where the food they eat comes from and that real people called farmers work hard to make their livings producing and providing it. “Farmers, you say? Aren’t they the happy workers from the factories where they make the food that my staff purchase from those supermarket places?”

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    Mute Adrian Kehoe
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 3:31 PM

    @William Tallon: That’s true, I know nothing about farming but I certainly have great respect for the work they do, hours they put in for little gain .

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    Mute Elizabeth Doyle
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 2:06 PM

    CANT BEAT Le Bleu farmers.Hope we fare better tonight.As a Munster supporter I want Pete to have a good beginning to 6 Nations Campaign.Without our Irish Farmers we gave no Country,the backbone of our Nation and prosperity.

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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 2:24 PM

    No farmers no food is a myth in Ireland. Lots of our food is imported and lots of our meat is exported.

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    Mute Staker Wallace
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 2:45 PM

    @Padraig O’Brien: Ok, If there was no farmers in the *whole world*, what would you live on? Furze bushes?

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    Mute James Carolan
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 3:09 PM

    France 12 – 18 Ireland COYBIG

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    Mute Eoghan O Sullivan
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 3:22 PM

    Are if there were no car makers there wouldn’t be cars etc.. We have produce food sustainably. Seen the iFA fella on prime time last night tyring to defend excessive use of nitrates. Time is now.

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    Mute hi from heaven
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    Feb 2nd 2024, 5:51 PM

    All I hear is farmers complaining they work hard and make no money…
    I heard a good saying today” you don’t have to be smart to be a farmer, but don’t be stupid ”
    Give up the farm if it is not viable, there’s plenty of jobs out there..
    The farmers that really work hard and put in 10 plus hours a day are making money, because these are dairy farmers..there is no need for 95% of beef farmers to be home all day collecting subsidies and complaining about how it’s not enough..get a job

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