Council takes the biscuit with Cookes Terrace sign

Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

If Bohermore is Crowe country, then Cookes Terrace is the heart of Ollie Crowe’s heartland.

The Fianna Fáil Galway City Councillor proportionately probably pulls more votes in Cookes Terrace than anywhere else in the City Central ward.

And so, when the residents of Cookes Terrace sought a new sign to the entrance of the estate of 64 houses, it was understandable that Oliver made representations to Galway City Council on their behalf.

So far, so good. Ollie contacted the relevant section within the Council and lobbied for a new Cookes Terrace road sign to be made. That was back in Spring.

Though it took longer than expected, Ollie was happy as Larry that the sign was to be erected a couple of weeks back. Until he saw it, that is.

Some whiz kid in the Council either ordered and/or took delivery of a sign that read “Cookies Terrace”. Somehow, nobody noticed until it was hung on the wall.

“Ollie’s phone was inundated with calls – residents were fuming and thought the Council was taking the biscuit,” said our source.

Ollie, we hear, was apoplectic. Puce with rage, he almost burst a blood vessel.

“There was steam coming out his ears. He was roaring and shouting. It was only a small thing but he thought it was an absolute farce. He wasn’t shy in telling them either.”

Oliver apparently rang the Council and let rip. We hear the poor unfortunate at the other end of the line was threatened with a transfer to Skibbereen if the ‘Cookies’ sign wasn’t taken down immediately. The Council staff had knocked-off at 4pm and said they would do it first thing in the morning. Queue another outburst.

“He threatened to drive up there and pull it down himself if it wasn’t taken down straight away. Ollie was going to tie a rope around it, tie it to his tow bar and drive off!”

It was duly taken down before Ollie did a DIY job but the indications are the battle of Cookies Terrace has left relations strained between the councillor and officials at City Hall.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.