Photograph of Keel Beach
Photograph of Keel Beach
Keel Beach
Welcome to Keel, one of the Blue Flag Beaches along County Mayo coastline. This is a popular beach located on Achill Island.
Bird Life
Area of Scientific Interest
Further Information
Bird Life
Some of the more common birds that can be seen at the beach include:
- Cormorants (Broigheall)
- Shags (Seaga)
Waders:
- Snipe (Naoscach)
- Lapwing (Pilibin)
- Oystercatcher (Roilleach)
Terns:
- Common tern (Geabhrog)
- Arctic Tern (Geabhrog artach)
- Sandwich Tern (Geabhrog dhuscothach)
Gulls:
- Common gull (Faoilean Ban)
- Kittiwake (Saidhbhear)
- Blackhead Gull (Faoilean ceanndubh)
- Great Black-backed Gull (Droimneach mor)
- Lesser Black-backed Gull (Droimneach beag)
- Herring Gull (Faoileann scadan)
Area of Scientific Interest
This machair plain lies behind a shingle beach and a system of low dunes. The wetter areas of machair support low-growing mats of mosses and liverworts. To the South-East of this plain the ground rises sharply and these hills are covered by a blanket bog and heath. This vegetation is unusual for its community of mosses and liverworts known as the Northern Atlantic Hepatic Mat community. On Achill this community descends to its lowest altitudinal level in Ireland. On the seaward side, the land slopes steeply to the sea, forming impressive cliffs. Here the damp rocks support rich communities of mosses and liverworts. The keel machair/Minaun Cliffs site is of ecological interest due to the range of habitats to be found there and particularly for population of Whooper Swans which frequent Keel Lough. The coastal oceanic and montane communities of mosses and liverworts are of international importance.
Sand Dunes
Sand carried inland by onshore winds is deposited in a streamline form around some obstacles. Plants then colonise these small mounds of sand. As sand deposition proceeds, their foliage creates even more deposition and the root network binds the sand into low embryo dunes. As these dunes grow in height they coalesce parallel to the shoreline. In turn they are colonised and stabilised by other establishing plants and the dunes continue to grow.
Dune Erosion
Almost all dunes are subject to erosion, most commonly caused by “Blow-outs”. This happens when the wind gains access to the sand beneath the vegetation at the crest and rapidly erodes the surface causing a depression. As the wind is channelled into is the depression grows until its width reduces the channelling effect of the wind, leaving low-lying rolling dune pasture called Machair.
Frontal erosion occurs when the entire seaward face of the dune system is cut back by storm waves. This can be recognised by a steep slope of loose sand and slipping clumps of crestal vegetation.
Human activity also has a large part to play in dune erosion. The removal of sand and shingle can leave large areas of dune open to wind erosion. Cutting dune vegetation or over-grazing the area by cattle or horses is another damaging activity. Recreation at beaches can also damage dunes. Vehicle movements can damage the turf carpet and the creation of paths through the dunes exposes bare sand where blow-outs could occur.
Machair
On the western seaboard, low, flat windswept sand plains known as Machair are found. Machair consists of a mixture of siliceous sand derived from the shells of animals which lived on the offshore platform.
Machair beaches are often found between rocky outcrops or in small bays between headlands, The upper limit of the beach is usually marked by a pebble or cobble ridge behind which there are dunes.
Behind the dunes is usually a gently slopping plain whose degree of flatness is a reflection of age. The level of the machair plain is controlled by the underlying water table. Hence many machair areas are flooded during winter. A seaward escarpment marks the landward limit of the plain.
Machair is a completely vegetation covered coastal plain, marram and lyme grass being the most common varieties found. Orchids can be found in some locations.
Grazing has an important role in machair formation and keeps the characteristic plant community in balance.
Storm Beaches
In times of storm, the erosional function of waves is greatest but it is also during storms that Storm Beaches are created. Cobbles, pebbles and boulders are hurled up on to the shore, usually further inland than the level usually reached by high spring tides. The coarseness of this material usually ensures that the backwash of the retreating waves is reduces so that littler material moves back down the beach. When the storm subsides, the deposited boulders remain where they were thrown, out of reach of the sea. Deposited material is never sorted by size and so storm beach material is varied in size although the stones and boulders are usually rounded and smooth from the abrasive action of the waves and the finer material suspended in water.
Further Information:
If you would like to research further information, for example, on tourist attractions or activities within this area, find some useful links below:
www.met.ie (For up to date weather forecast)
Mayo Beaches
Westport Civic Office
Mayo County Council
Altamont Street
Westport
Co. Mayo
Phone: (098) 50400
Email: westport@mayococo.ie
9:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Mayo Beaches
Westport Civic Offices
Altamont Street
Westport
Co. Mayo
Phone: (098) 50400
Email: westportao@mayococo.ie
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.