Councillor requests KIMO consult on whale decomposing off the coast of Waterford
Coastal area of Dungarvan. Stock Image.
Councillor Thomas Phelan has requested KIMO consult on the disposal of the dead whale at Clonea Strand.
At the July sitting of the Dungarvan-Lismore District Council, Cllr Phelan welcomed the council’s membership of KIMO and requested their assistance.
“I see we have joined KIMO, the International organisation of local authorities sharing best practice on clean rivers and beaches, and I welcome that and support it.
“Can I ask the executive or our KIMO representative, Cllr O’Donovan, to make enquiries as to what is best practice internationally on the treatment or the approach taken to a very large, decaying whale carcass on a blue flag beach.
“I am, of course, referring to the one washed up at Clonea Strand. Maybe as members of KIMO, we should be taking a different approach to it,” said Cllr Phelan.
Cllr Damien Geoghegan jokingly suggested that they name the carcass KIMo the Whale, to which everyone laughed.
Senior Executive Officer in the Environment Section, Dawn Wallace, said perhaps they will.
“Yes, perhaps Niamh can take that up with our colleagues in KIMO in relation to the dead whale.
“But just to say, it’s not on Clonea Beach. It is not located on the Blue Flag Beach, just to be really clear about that,” said Ms Wallace.
The whale washed up in January and it was hoped storms at the time would take it back out.
However, that did not happen and given the hard to reach location of the carcass, the council have taken the decison to let "natural processes" take their course.
KIMO or Kommunernes International Miljøorganisation (Local Authorities International Environmental Organisation) is a network of coastal municipalities working to protect marine environments.
KIMO have 80 members across nine countries, and Waterford City and County Council joined in July 2025.
Wexford County Council is already a member, making Waterford the second Irish council to join the network.
Waterford’s membership was launched at an event in Villierstown, and Dungarvan-Lismore District Cathaoirleach Niamh O’Donovan is to be the council's political representative.
