THE TWO-MILE beach on a sand spit at Rossbeigh, Co Kerry, is eroding at such a rate it is "a question of when, not if" it is entirely gone, a local resident and county councillor has warned.
A sister to Inch strand, which reaches out from the opposite side of Dingle Bay, the spit at Rossbeigh is one of the longest Blue Flag beaches in Ireland.
It also has a place in folklore as it is believed it was from there that Oisín and Niamh crossed to Tír na nÓg.
Already residents in townlands east of the beach, including and near the village of Glenbeigh, have become increasingly wary of flooding, and there have been deputations to council meetings in recent weeks to highlight their concerns about tidal flooding.
It was believed there were over 300 acres of dunes. Kerry Fianna Fáil county councillor Michael Cahill's family has lived for generations at Rossbeigh. Forty years ago his grandfather would say there was "an acre for every day of the year" on Rossbeigh. However, the continuously rising tide and storms of recent years have meant there are just over 130 acres left on the spit, said Mr Cahill.
"It's alarming. When the sand spit is gone Glenbeigh village and over into Cromane will be affected."
Erosion on the Inch or Dingle peninsula side of the bay was so dramatic recently that the council last year spent €4 million on emergency roadwork to prevent the cliff and road at Inch from collapsing into the sea.
The council, however, has ruled out work to protect the spit.
It has said "the natural processes involved in the current erosion at Rossbeigh are very complex and not easily or cheaply protected against".
Mr Cahill said: "I am extremely disappointed with the council. This is their property. They own it. Due to their inaction almost two-thirds of the spit have gone in 40 years.
"If this were a private facility, such as a golf club, protection would have been provided."