Aran repairs reduced to a snail’s pace

Dozens of householders on Inis Mór are shell-shocked – because the presence of a rare snail means that a collapsed road leading to their homes cannot be restored.

The presence of the Vertico Angustior means that the route to road repairs or realignment will be something of a slow process.

Nine weeks ago, a supporting wall and part of a main access road through the island collapsed and since has not been repaired. Locals have been told that this could be a lengthy process.

The ten feet high wall collapsed into the sea in the Kilmurvey area – but now Galway County Council says that it cannot be replaced because of the presence of a rare snail.

It means that up to 30 householders have to take alternative routes to access their homes – and often these can be heavily trafficked by visitors to the island.

The collapsed wall and section of road is also located close to the internationally famous Dún Aonghasa which is also adding to the congestion woes in the area.

But Cllr. Sean O Tuairisg has been informed that repairs will not be carried out to the wall or the road anytime in the near future because of the presence of the snail.

The Vertico Angustior is a minute land species – and because it is on a list of endangered species, works cannot take place where they are present.

However, this is of little comfort to local residents who now face the prospect of having their road blocked off for a couple of years at least as Galway County Council engineers try to come up with a solution.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.