The Little Strand in Kilmore Quay: More Than Just a Swimming Spot
“Protecting a shoreline begins with understanding what is already protecting it.”
The Strand in Kilmore Quay is a narrow strip of sand between the sea and the village, bordered by rock armour, the harbour pier, roads, and nearby buildings. Although partially sheltered by the harbour, it is still affected by wind, tides, and occasional storm surges, and even small shifts in sand can matter over time.
The plants growing here may look rough or untidy, but they play an important role in holding the shoreline together.
🌱 How does vegetation help hold the shoreline together?
The main grasses here include sand couch grass, lyme grass, and other hardy coastal grasses. Their underground roots spread through the sand, helping hold it in place. Their stems slow the wind at ground level and trap moving sand before it is blown inland.
Other coastal plants, such as sea rocket, sea radish, kidney vetch, and wild carrot, help cover and protect the ground. While they do not bind sand as strongly as the grasses, they still help stabilise the surface and support a healthier mix of plant life.
Together, the vegetation helps reduce sand drifting onto roads, walls, buildings, and harbour structures. It acts as a living buffer between the sea and the village, slowing wind-driven sand movement and helping keep the upper beach more stable.
🌿 A Refuge for Biodiversity
Much of the harbour area is made up of grey infrastructure—concrete, tarmac, and rock armour. This small strip of vegetation provides a rare pocket of natural habitat in contrast.
It supports insects and other small wildlife, offering food and shelter for pollinators such as bees and hoverflies. What can sometimes be seen as “just weeds” are actually an important part of local coastal life, supporting biodiversity right at the edge of a busy human environment.
Managing visitor access and protecting natural vegetation has to be balanced carefully in busy coastal areas, and a better understanding of how these plants support the shoreline can help everyone care for this space while enjoying it.
