Calls for action to address the trashing of Swellan Lake

The fine weather has proven disastrous one of Cavan town’s natural amenities. Swellan Lake has been the scene of untrammelled littering as revellers are discarding rubbish at the lakeside, writes Thomas Lyons.

Swellan's Anne O'Donoghue is the author of ‘Ireland Through A Lens’, a photography book that captures the beauty and splendour of this country with a lot of images from Cavan featuring in the pages.
This week Anne’s eye for beauty was affronted by the scene at one of Cavan Town’s beauty spots: “I live opposite Swellan lake. I went over the lake to take some photographs of a pair of swans with five cygnets. When I went down to the lake, there was nothing but cans, broken bottles and rubbish strew across the shorelines.”
Not shy about expressing her opinion, Anne confronted young people about the litter on the shore of Swellan lake on Monday night.
“When I said to them that they should clean up after themselves, they just laughed at me; one young boy started to smash bottles,” she claimed.
Given the good weather, the increase in use of the amenity is not a problem for Anne.
“There is nothing wrong with people going out and enjoying themselves at the lakeside. It’s what you would expect in this weather but they should show some consideration for other users and the environment.”
All along the shores there are discarded remains of alcoholic beverages. Fires have been lit and other rubbish has been left behind. “Every evening young people are out enjoying themselves swimming. That is fine but there is rubbish the whole way along the path, broken bottles, dog fouling, refuse discarded in the water. This all creates a hazard, not only for people but also for the swans who make the lake their home. It would be a shame to see them have to leave because of the dirt that is just thrown away,” Anne laments.
She has taken action: “I rang the council and they have said that they will do something. There seems to have been a small clean up of the area but there is just so much of it. It really needs to be policed. If that means putting up cameras then it needs to be done to protect the environment.”