Galway Rally will run on original route despite protest

Efforts to prevent a stage of this weekend’s Galway International Rally from taking place in rural parts of the north of the county failed to materialise – despite suggestions that the application for road closures was not properly dealt with.

Members of Galway County Council received an email from a resident in Kilconly claiming that those living in the greater Caherlistrane area were not consulted but this was firmly rejected by senior officials of the authority.

In fact the same resident was in attendance at this week’s meeting of Galway County Council where he heard members speaking highly of the rally and the excitement that in generates each year.

And Director of Services Michael Timmins informed the meeting that an application was received by Galway County Council last December for a temporary road closure licence.

He said that the Council gave serious consideration to the application. “We weighed it up and then took the decision to sign the order for the temporary road closure,” he explained to members.

Mr Timmins added that they complied with all of the procedures relating to a temporary road closure. He said that there are very strict conditions attached to the road closure licence and these mainly relate to insurance issues.

Over the weekend members received emails from resident Sean Maguire from Clonbar, Kilconly claiming that the rally would take place along a dangerous stretch of road and would be doing so without consent. In one of his emails, he stated: “Very sad state of affairs for Irish people to be abused and ignored”.

In another email to a councillor, Mr Maguire said that it was his intention to stop what he described as “an illegal rally” outside his home. He also stated that the rally would not pass his home.

The matter was raised in the Council chamber on Monday by Cllr Donagh Killilea who said that he was contacted by the householder. Cllr Killilea asked if a licence was granted, when it was granted, if there were objectors and if they were replied to.

But the Fianna Fail councillor added that he made contact with a number of residents whose houses will be passed by the rally and all confirmed that they had been contacted by the Galway Motor Club who organise the event.

Cllr Pete Roche said that he was also the recipient of an email and, out of courtesy, he inquired to determine the nature of the complaint. He said that he received an email back advising him to ring a Dublin number, which he refused to do.

At this stage in the debate, the householder attempted to intervene by trying to explain the Dublin number but he was told firmly by officials that he could not contribute to the debate.

Kinvara’s Cllr Joe Byrne said that he too received the email but said that he had no idea who it was from or what it was about. He added that the tone of the email was vexatious.

He went on to say that the rally adds vibrancy to the county. His only complaint related to the amount of rubbish that is left behind by spectators of the rally and that this was something that should be addressed by the organisers.

Caherlistrane resident, Cllr Billy Connelly recalled the rally coming through the area around ten years ago and there was no problem and residents did not object.

“In my own area there are around 40 or 50 houses affected. But I can assure you that if the number is 50 then 49 have no problem with the rally. Those involved in the Motor Club called to each one of us and provided us with an emergency number in the event of something happening that required the roads to be reopened,” Cllr Connelly said.

He said that 99% of those living from Queally’s Pub in Caherlistrane to Kilconly were supportive of the rally which will take place in that particular part of the county on Sunday.