All Dogs Go To Charlesland

Bernadette at Charlesland Dog Park TUES22FEB22

t’s been a long and grinding road for Bernadette Stokes and her fellow dog lovers to get from there to here.

There being the formation of a committee way back in 2009 to have a dog park built in Greystones.

The marina dog park…

Here being the launch this afternoon of the Charlesland Dog Park, a fine big specimen of a playpen for our four-legged friends, far closer in size, scale and design to Arklow’s perfect pooch playground than the sorry mess of a mutt minefield that is the original attempt down in Darcy’s Park.

Following Bernadette’s first official committee meeting in 2011 – alongside Maria Sweeney, Fran Chatham and other stubborn Greystonians –  the gang filed two motions (thanks to Stephen Stokes), made three presentations to the Greystones Municipal District Council, and brought 30 dogs along to the town’s 2014 St Patrick’s Day parade. All the while, they sent endless letters to all the powers that be (including developers Glenveagh when they promised a dog park as part of Marina Village), and generally made a nuisance and a noise whenever and wherever they could.

Just as long as it helped Greystones finally get a dog park.

One that was actually fit for a dog.

“It’s been a long road,” nods Bernadette, “but I never felt as though we wouldn’t succeed. It was just a case of try, try and then, when you hit a particularly big brick wall, try again.

“And it worked!” she smiles. “It just goes to show that, when it comes to your dreams, you should never, ever give up…”

The Charlesland Dog Park opening times are Mon-Thurs 10am to 10pm, 10am to 9pm Friday and 10am to 6pm Sat & Sun, closed on Bank Holidays.