At Buncrana, Co Donegal, earlier in the summer, hundreds of terrified parents and young children fled from the beach as a vicious gang war erupted between 70 youths from Buncrana and Derry. Broken bottles were among the weapons used. Gardaí cordoned off the beach, searched youths for alcohol and weapons and had to hire a private bus to take the Northern Ireland youths back to Derry under escort.
Beach yobs have destroyed days out for law-abiding families all over Donegal, but this incident, which happened in June, was the worst so far, says Padraig MacLochlainn, who sits on Buncrana Town Council and Donegal County Council, representing Sinn Féin. "A lot of soul-searching followed this incident. We have to face up to the damage that alcohol is causing in our society," he says.
Last month, a Buncrana youth had his face fractured by a Derry youth who attacked him with a knuckle-duster on the main street, but the beach has remained quiet since the riot in June - probably due to the weather, MacLochlainn says.
"Loutish behaviour on beaches near urban areas is a widespread problem," says Jack Britton of Lifeguards Ireland. "A group can dominate an entire area of beach. Lifeguards can only call the gardaí, who are quick to respond in most cases." Trouble is usually alcohol and drug-related, and not all towns have bylaws preventing public drinking, he adds.
Public disorder at Sandycove, Co Dublin, became so bad that in 2005, Supt Martin Fitzgerald launched Operation Red. Young gardaí on mountain bikes, plainclothes gardaí and gardaí patrolling on foot have participated in a major clampdown on alcohol-fuelled violence there. Water and aerial units have also been used at times to help gardaí home in on trouble-makers.
But Fitzgerald admits that the gardaí cannot be everywhere all the time. One example he gives occurred last April, when a gang fight broke out on the seafront on a fine evening. The mayhem was witnessed by children and adults walking dogs and playing ball on the green. Myself and my children were among those forced to flee.
The year before, on the June bank holiday, a full-scale riot broke out at the seafront and continued for hours. Youths broke into a local restaurant, stole crates of alcohol, carried it back to the water and freely handed it out as the spree escalated into violence, resulting in 10 arrests.
Many local people have come to consider Sandycove seafront a no-go area, while local children and teenagers, who should be able to enjoy swimming at the pretty harbour, have become afraid to go there having experienced intimidation.
This summer, the bad weather has helped keep Sandycove quiet and safe, though Operation Red deserves credit too. Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, recently rewarded Supt Fitzgerald and his team with an official vote of confidence.
Operation Red is a model of how beach yobbishness can be prevented. Gardaí in the town of DúLaoghaire monitor those arriving by bus and Dart before they even reach the beach, while Operation Anvil allows gardaí to stop cars entering the area. At the beach, a bylaw preventing alcohol consumption outdoors is strictly enforced (including on-the-spot fines) and gardaí hold daily meetings to assess incidents and to monitor specific individuals coming out of the city intent on causing trouble.
"It has deterred people who were involved in the past in public disorder. They've got the message that Sandycove is not a place to come because you won't get away with it," Supt Fitzgerald says.
Similar operations are under way at Killiney Beach and Bray. The success of Operation Red shows that where there is will and resources, beaches can be kept pleasant and safe.
