14/07/2026
Beyond the beach: young people, kayaks and citizen science on the River Fertha.
The CoastLink Project by Cahersiveen Tidy Towns, together with Clean Coasts, was delighted to support a first-year youth kayaking, clean-up and citizen science initiative with 6th class from Scoil Saidhbhín and SeaSynergy.
This project encouraged young people to look beyond our beaches and see how coastal care, litter recording, shoreline observation and citizen science can all work together to protect our local environment.
During the session, students explored the River Fertha by kayak, learned about water safety, identified six litter hotspots not visible from the shore, and recorded their findings with the support of SeaSynergy’s marine and ecology expertise.
The group also observed shoreline life, seaweed, birds and local wildlife, showing great curiosity and care for their local coastline.
The project showed a strong level of interest and knowledge among the students, many of whom are already involved in beach cleans and coastal care. It also helped grow a valuable youth volunteer pool for future coastal community initiatives.
A big thank you to Clean Coasts Clean Coasts , SeaSynergy LH Marine & Sea Synergy , Scoil Saidhbhín, Cahersiveen Tidy Towns Cahersiveen Tidy Town's , and all the young volunteers who made the first year of the CoastLink Project CoastLink Project by Cahersiveen Tidy Towns such a success.
We look forward to growing this work with youth initiatives across our local coastal communities.
