Writes Ciaran Dineen
3 For the Sea is a growing movement that seeks to make people more aware of the importance of taking care of their environment. The initiative aims to encourage communities to come together and clean up their coastal areas. The idea is for people to pick up three pieces of plastic every time they visit a beach or coastal area.
‘3’ was initially set up in Australia, but has since spread its environmental message further afield. The negative impact that plastic is having in our seas and rivers has become increasingly evident in recent years, with documentaries and nature programmes such as Blue Planet highlighting some of the terrible consequences that our negligence is creating.
Residents in Crosshaven have jumped at the initiative, including co-founder of the South Cork movement, Jim Upton. Living locally, Jim knows better than most of the wonderful beaches and coastal views that are in Crosshaven, Myrtleville and Fountainstown, and he wanted to do his bit in making sure that they were kept as clean and pristine as possible.
3 For the Sea has been a big hit in the village and Jim is delighted with the positive reaction. “The main thing for me is how the community of Crosshaven has once again come together on this”, Jim tells The Carrigdhoun. “It is an example to other communities, especially coastal, that they can do similar beach clean-ups which are great and to be encouraged.”
Fianna Fáil candidate in this month’s elections and fellow Crosshaven resident, Audrey Buckley, has also got involved with the project after being approached by Jim. Audrey is the Chairperson for Crosshaven Tidy Towns and told The Carrigdhoun last month how when she returned home to Ireland over 10 years ago from her travels, that she and her children would walk the beaches in Crosshaven and pick up any litter that encountered them.
Jim himself has personally funded the artwork for four plaques that have been made by a local sculptor, Mike Wilkins, for beaches in Graball Bay, Fountainstown, Myrtleville and Church Bay. Jim is hoping to appeal to other groups and clubs around the area and beyond to get involved with ‘3’. “I have been contacted by a few water sport event centres and they are looking at placing plaques on beaches and piers they use. I am putting a call out to all yacht/sailing clubs, water sports clubs, rowing clubs, surf centres to give back to the ocean and install a plaque. The same call has gone out to Triathlon groups and to Hardman, because they all use the sea.”
Jim is also hoping that with the help of corporate groups that they can help fund the design and sculpting of ‘Seámus the Salmon’. Seámus is the brainchild of Jim and will act as the mascot for 3 For the Sea, with the inspiration coming from the UK version, Bertie the Seabass. Jim hopes that Seámus can be brought around Ireland and used to highlight their message, with his first appearance in Crosshaven rumoured to take place by the end of August.
So far, financial commitment to the project has been signed up from local company, Good Fish and Kingspan.
The installation of the Fountainstown plaque takes place on June 2ndat the 3 for the Sea Community Beach Day from 12-3pm as part of Cork Harbour Festival corkharbourfestival.com.
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