Maharees Conservation Association CLG

Maharees Conservation Association (MCA) is a community-driven, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to enhancing, protecting and preserving the unique coastline of the Maharees on the Dingle Peninsula. Formed in 2016 after a series of severe winter storms exposed the vulnerability of the area's sand dunes, the association brings together local volunteers, coastal experts and residents to safeguard one of Ireland's most striking natural tombolos and its long sandy beach on Brandon Bay.

MCA's core activities centre on dune restoration and public education. Volunteers regularly organise beach clean-ups, plant marram grass and install chestnut fencing to stabilise dunes, while campaigning against illegal wild camping, littering and unauthorised parking that accelerate erosion. The group also raises awareness through petitions, social-media outreach and community events, and works with local and national representatives to develop long-term coastal-management solutions.

By protecting the dunes, MCA not only shields the Maharees community from storm damage and health-safety hazards but also sustains the tourism, recreation and employment that the coastline provides to Castlegregory and the wider north-side Dingle Peninsula.