Churches show muscle to broker Ironman deal

Date Published: 07-Jul-2011

By Denise McNamara

A compromise has been brokered between the organisers of the International Ironman Triathlon and city churches to shepherd infirm Mass-goers to services while roads are closed off to traffic during the international event in September.

A campaign waged by the churches involved priests bombarding councillors as well as Galway City Council with letters, emails and phone calls, voicing their disquiet over the widespread closures which would prevent the faithful from attending Sunday Mass.

The Ironman competition will take place in Galway in September with up to 10,000 expected to descend on the city, including 2,500 athletes from 30 countries, who will complete a gruelling run, swim and a cycle. The event is expected to generate millions in revenue for the city with international TV coverage also assured.

Churches at Barna, Moycullen, Bushypark, Claddagh will be affected for a few hours by the traffic detours on the day of the event – Sunday, September 4 – with Salthill the worst affected as the resort will be closed off to vehicular access from 7am to 5pm.

Contrary to reports that the closures would last for five days, there will be just one 200 metre stretch of road outside the Aquarium which will be off limits to traffic between Friday evening and Sunday.

Fr Gerry Jennings, parish priest at Salthill, was particularly vocal in his criticism. “I still think it’s unfair the church is closed off for 10 hours. People have the right to worship on a Sunday,” he said.

A spokesman for the Ironman event manager said they had offered to lay on a bus to transport anybody unable to make their own way to Salthill Church.

“We’re making huge progress on this. We are actively getting things ironed out. We’re asking the priests to work with us on this one and encourage parishioners to go to Mass on Saturday or Sunday evening and, if they need it, we will transport them on the Sunday morning.”

The September race will be the first Ironman event in Ireland and will begin with a 1.9km swim in Galway Bay followed by a 90km scenic bike course towards Connemara and finish with a 21km run that will conclude at Eyre Square in the city centre.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.