Baldoyle Bay
Encyclopedia
Baldoyle Bay is a sea inlet on the east coast of Ireland
, between Portmarnock
and Baldoyle
in County Dublin
, in the administration of Fingal County Council
. It is an important natural feature with protected status, which once held a Viking longphort.
. It is bounded on the seaward side by the peninsula on which the Velvet Strand (used as a runway for early flights) and the Portmarnock Golf Club
course are situated. It contains the estuaries of two rivers, the Sluice at the northern, Portmarnock, end, and the Mayne, mid-way south, at the north end of Baldoyle.
The bay contains both freshwater and saltwater marshes, raised salt marsh, mud and sand, and riverine shallows and creeks. Four habitat types feature in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive, namely Salicornia mud, Mediterranean salt meadows, Atlantic salt meadows and tidal mudflats. Much of the intertidal flats are exposed at low tide, mostly sand but also some muds in the inner estuary.
Notable flora include common cord-grass, narrow-leafed eelgrass, dwarf eelgrass, and, in summer, green algae.
Baldoyle Bay is an important coastal site, used by wintering wildfowl and waders and other birds. It is a Special Protection Area under Irish law, cared for by the local authority and National Parks and Wildlife Service
.
Declared a Statutory
Nature Reserve
in 1988, the inner, estuarine, parts of the bay are protected as a Special Area of Conservation
(SAC) while, under the Ramsar Convention
, the wetlands have been designated as of international importance. They support several habitats that are listed in the EU Habitats Directive.
.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, between Portmarnock
Portmarnock
Portmarnock is a small suburban village to the north of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the administrative county of Fingal.-Location:Portmarnock lies on the coast and, owing to its proximity to Dublin city, is a form of dormitory village north-northeast of the city centre...
and Baldoyle
Baldoyle
Baldoyle is a small coastal area on the northside of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the part of the historic County Dublin now administered as Fingal.-Location and Access:...
in County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
, in the administration of Fingal County Council
Fingal County Council
Fingal County council is the local authority for the county of Fingal in Ireland. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council before its abolition and one of four councils in the Dublin Region. The county seat is in Swords, with another major office...
. It is an important natural feature with protected status, which once held a Viking longphort.
Nature
The bay is a narrow inlet running north-south, reaching the sea north of Howth HeadHowth Head
Howth Head is a headland north east of Dublin City in Ireland. Howth falls under the local governance of fingal county council. Entry to the headland is at Sutton while village of Howth and the harbour are on the northern shore. Baily Lighthouse is on the southeastern part of Howth Head...
. It is bounded on the seaward side by the peninsula on which the Velvet Strand (used as a runway for early flights) and the Portmarnock Golf Club
Portmarnock Golf Club
Portmarnock Golf Club was established in 1894, and lies just North of Dublin, in Portmarnock, Fingal, Ireland. The course was laid out by William Pickeman on land owned by the distiller John Jameson, and originally consisted of just 9 holes, with another nine being added two years later.Portmarnock...
course are situated. It contains the estuaries of two rivers, the Sluice at the northern, Portmarnock, end, and the Mayne, mid-way south, at the north end of Baldoyle.
The bay contains both freshwater and saltwater marshes, raised salt marsh, mud and sand, and riverine shallows and creeks. Four habitat types feature in Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive, namely Salicornia mud, Mediterranean salt meadows, Atlantic salt meadows and tidal mudflats. Much of the intertidal flats are exposed at low tide, mostly sand but also some muds in the inner estuary.
Notable flora include common cord-grass, narrow-leafed eelgrass, dwarf eelgrass, and, in summer, green algae.
Baldoyle Bay is an important coastal site, used by wintering wildfowl and waders and other birds. It is a Special Protection Area under Irish law, cared for by the local authority and National Parks and Wildlife Service
National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland)
The National Parks and Wildlife Service manages the Irish State's nature conservation responsibilities. It is part of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government....
.
Declared a Statutory
Law of the Republic of Ireland
The law of the Republic of Ireland consists of constitutional, statute and common law. The highest law in the Republic is the Constitution of Ireland, from which all other law derives its authority...
Nature Reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in 1988, the inner, estuarine, parts of the bay are protected as a Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
(SAC) while, under the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
, the wetlands have been designated as of international importance. They support several habitats that are listed in the EU Habitats Directive.
History
The Baldoyle area was raided and later settled by the "dark-haired foreigners" (Danish Vikings), who found the bay convenient for their long-boats, with their shallow draft - the Mayne River and related streams provided fresh water.Access
The bay is parallelled by a coastal road to the west and north, served by bus, and with few possiblities for parking. To the east, access is possible on foot from parking for Portmarnock's southern beaches. A small park exists at the northern end of the bay, and is itself popular with birds. It holds an interpretative sign with information on the area. There is also a walking route to the bay from ClongriffinClongriffin
Clongriffin is a new locality in northern Donaghmede, Dublin, Ireland.-Name:The name Clongriffin is a modern invention, a concatenation of 'clon', the anglicisation of cluain and griffin...
.