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About SAMRA

Aims of SAMRA

Aims of Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association

  • To underpin the SAMRA Constitution.

  • To protect and improve the environs of Sandymount Strand, Sandymount Village & Dublin Bay.

  • To give the residents a voice, empowering & leveraging collective representation.

A platform to:

  • Provide visibility of proposals and development schemes.

  • Provide an integrated overview of schemes likely to impact the area.

  • Support key decision points and dates, enabling SAMRA input.

  • To enable residents to develop key messages and make critical input to decisions.

The Story of SAMRA

SAMRA began with a group of residents of Sandymount concerned at the creeping loss of beach and sea at Sandymount as an environmental and recreational amenity for the citizens of Dublin.

In 1957 Sandymount Residents Association was formed to end the use of Sandymount Strand as the main refuse dump for Dublin City. An agreement was reached with the then Dublin Corporation that all dumping would cease in 1963 at a point close to the city end of Beach Road near the present Sean Moore Road.

That Association expanded in 1965 to become the Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association because of Dublin Corporation’s plans to fill in the whole of the Strands as far as the City boundary at Merrion Gates with municipal, industrial, and hazardous waste, in breach of the agreement, and the construction of a rubble causeway across Sandymount Strand by Roadstone to a site in the sea for an unauthorised cement plant. The causeway was described by Dublin Corporation as “a line of advance filling”. Neither the causeway nor the Roadstone site had any planning permission. The beaches had by that time been zoned as areas of High Amenity with the stated objective of declaring them an area of Special Amenity under the 1963 Planning Act.

Sandymount and Merrion Strands were used extensively by thousands of Dublin families as their seaside playground and, for many, their only affordable holiday resort.

Achievements and Activities

  1. The final cessation of large scale dumping by the end of 1978, with the additional promise by the Local Authority that all land recaimed from the sea up to that date, and not needed for essential Port purposes, would be public parkland. [Some garbage dumping did in fact continue to a limited degree in the period up to 1981 which included the “bin” mens strike.
  2. Pressure from SAMRA led to the creation of Sean Moore Park [originally called Beach Park] and of Irishtown Nature Park, in line with proposals from the Association.
  3. Prevention of the construction of an oil refinery on part of the remaining Sandymount Strand.
  4. Participation in the oral hearing to prevent the construction of underground storage caverns for liquid petroleum gases, propane and butane, in the seabed .
  5. The original design and landscaping of the promenade to cover the Dodder Valley Drainage Scheme pipes laid on Sandymount Strand, in order to create an amenity for Dubliners.
  6. The protection and preservation of Sandymount Green, and the designation of part of Sandymount Village as a Conservation Area.
  7. Having Sandymount Strand zoned as an SAC and SPA.
  8. Traffic Speed Control – 50Km/Hr on Strand Road and 30KpH in Sandymount Village
  9. Addition of Pedestrian Crossing Lights – Strand Road, Gilford Road, Sandymount Green
  10. BANNING of HGVs in Sandymount Village and Strand Road
  11. The Association also holds a community event for children and families of the area in Sandymount Green in June each year and at Christmas for the lighting up of the Christmas tree. Prior to Dublin City Council generously providing us with a “real” Christmas tree and lights, the Association had since the 1960’s lit up one of the trees in the Green with the support of the small traders in the village.

The SAMRA Committee

Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association Committee 2017

These are the current serving Committee Members. We need your help and involvement.

Joan McArthur
(Chair)

David Turner
(Secretary)

Liam Handy
(Treasurer)

Lorna Kelly

Irene Lynch

Finian Loftus

Paddy Dunne

Why Join SAMRA?

What can SAMRA do for Resident of Sandymount and Merrion?

Passionate about your Home and Environment? 

"It is clear to see the pictures of our beautiful environment - but readers need to know that this is genuinely under threat. Not by malice or intent BUT by the cumulative effect and unintended consequences of our local planning processes.

Dublin Bay is a unique environment, on the doorstep of Ireland’s capital city and MUST be protected from these threats for our future generations.

SAMRA Committee members express their deep and genuine concern and are URGENTLY looking for your support"

To enable us to protect and preserve Sandymount Environs, Heritage for ourselves and our children.
Since 1962 SAMRA has been working on the residents behalf. It is the longest established residents association in Dublin.
You will join the voice of the locals and residents who support the AIMS of SAMRA and the KEY TOPICs which are being worked via your SAMRA Committee.
You will help give the Residents a voice, empowering and leveraging collective representation.
Your contribution will make a key difference !

Please join to help support the work SAMRA does in challenging developments that threaten Dublin Bay, the Strand or local amenities.

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Latest Updates

Find out more about what is happening around you.

General News

You will find links to all of the SAMRA committee minutes and AGM minutes by clicking here.

COVID-19 and our Members

Joint meeting of SAMRA and STTCA on 19th February 2020

SAMRA AGM Presentation

Events & Key Dates

COVID-19 and our Members

Joint meeting of SAMRA and STTCA on 19th February 2020

SAMRA AGM Presentation

SAMRA 2019 AGM is on the 13th of January 2020.

Latest Updates

COVID-19 and our Members

Ectocarpus On Sandymount Strand Presentation by Roisin Ni Cheallaigh

SAMRA’s Lorna Kelly interviewed on Newstalk about proposals to build on Sandymount Strand

Planning Updates – July 2019

About us

Get in touch with us

✉ info@samra.ie

How Can You Help?

We invite you to familiarise yourself with the KEY TOPICS. If you have SKILLS or KNOWLEDGE which would assist - we would be delighted to have you contribute, in whatever capacity you're are able to provide.

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Membership

By joining SAMRA you will get regular updates on Committee Key Topics from the Monthly Meetings.

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