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Council votes to proceed with turning Kirwan roundabout into junction
Galway Bay fm newsroom – A preferred route has been approved for the 1.2 million euro overhaul of the Kirwan roundabout in the city.
City officials and engineers had come up with 6 options to convert the 5-arm roundabout into a traffic light junction.
At last evening’s meeting of the local authority, councillors narrowly voted to accept the route recommended by engineers – with many voicing strong opposition to the now preferred route.
There was heated debate last evening as councillors debated the merits of the preferred route presented to them by a project manager from engineering firm Halcrow Barry.
That is option 3B – which consultants deem the best option for reducing traffic delays and rat runs through nearby residential areas.
Kirwan roundabout will be replaced with a 4-arm signalised junction while the Coolagh Road will be diverted to form a 3-arm signalised junction on the N84 Headford Road.
However, a left slip lane will be constructed allowing access to the Coolagh Road from the Headford Road.
Not all councillors were satisfied with the route – Councillors Mark Lohan and Mike Cubbard felt better options were being ignored due to cost concerns.
Councillor Declan McDonnell questioned the claim that rat runs through Tirellan would be reduced by 90 percent – while Councillor Michael Crowe said it was difficult to have faith in the estimations given the disappointment of the Briarhill junction.
City CEO Brendan McGrath revealed that Transport Infrastructure Ireland has recently warned that if the allocated funds are not spent soon, the local authority would lose the money.
Councillors ultimately voted to accept the preferred route by a majority of 9 to 7 – setting the ball in motion for the project to proceed to the design and planning stage.
It’s expected that the project will proceed to tender and construction stages next year, with final delivery expected in 2019.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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