Local Notes: Heaney family win the Garrymore lotto jackpot of €18,000.
Jamie Burke, assistant treasurer, with Enda, Orlaith, Aoife and Cillian Heaney who won the Garrymore lotto jackpot of €18,000 in September, with Sharon Corcoran club PRO. Image: John Corless.
Following the tragic accidents on the N17 national road in 2024, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Mayo County Council has conducted a full safety review and has proposed a number of recommendations which have now gone to public consultation.
Five new right turning lanes are proposed for the following junctions with the N17: Barnycarroll/Loughaunnaman, Old Knock Road (Ballinphuill/Drumneen South,) Ballinsmaula (towards the Abbey,) Golf Course Road and the Petrol Filling Station.
The review also proposes to close-off a number of roads from access to the N17. The proposed closures are at Shanvaghera – second entrance (L29189,) top of Barnycarroll Hill/Rockfield (L15037), Ballinsmaula Road (Back road – Knock side of Abbey - L55517), road into Drumneen South (L55517), Eskerlevally Road (L5551), Castlegar Road (L55513), Boherduff Road / also known as Bog Road (L55512), Garryduff junction (Ballindine side of the Golf Course junction - L25116).
The review found that there had been twelve road fatalities in the Claremorris/Swinford Municipal District in 2024, with six of them on the N17, and that urgent appropriate action was needed to improve road safety. Claremorris Fire Brigade were called out to 28 traffic collisions in the immediate Claremorris area so far this year; 16 of them on the N17.
The report says that while not all collisions have occurred at junctions, they add unnecessary confusion to road traffic along the N17. One of the fatalities was directly linked to a right hand manoeuvre at a junction. A large amount of non-fatal collisions, are directly linked to junctions, the report found.
The works associated with typical road closures will include removing signage and road markings, fencing off the entrance, grassing-up the junction and creating a turning circle. The existing right turning lane at the Rockfield (L15037) junction will also be removed, under the proposals.
It is proposed to move the Golf Club junction closer to Ballindine and create a new right turning lane to facilitate the large numbers of vehicles entering the Golf Club. A new right-turning lane into the nearby fuel station, will be incorporated into the new layout.
The review found that twelve accidents had occurred at the Claremount crossroads with cars driving through the junction heading to, or from, the N17. In particular, cars following Google Maps have missed the stop sign and driven though the junction. The review suggests that the closure of the junction with the N17 will reduce the risk of further similar collisions.
Two collisions have occurred at the Castlegar crossroads in the past eighteen months, again with cars driving through the junction heading to, or from, the N17. Again, it is believed that closing the junction with the N17 will reduce this risk.
Traffic travelling southbound from the Knock side, to Mount St Michael secondary school will be expected to turn off the N17 at the Old Knock Road junction and follow that road. Traffic travelling to the school form the Ballindine side will be expected to follow the N60 down by the McWilliam Park Hotel, to the traffic lights and turn right there.
The use of new traffic light control technology will ease the flow of traffic through controlled junctions. The new technology can assess traffic volumes more accurately than the technology in use currently.
A fixed speed camera is being trialled at Ballinasmalla junction, and concrete fencing on the Ballindine side of the new bridge is to be replaced with timber post and rail fencing.
While the review is welcome and anything that makes the roads safer has to be embraced, there are a number of missed opportunities. The Claremount junction (and junctions like it,) could be staggered, to avoid distracted drivers from missing the stop signs, for example.
It is also somewhat disappointing that a more in-depth review of the actual causes of individual accidents wasn’t included in the review. It is unclear if the policy of closing some junctions on national routes will be rolled-out throughout the country, or will be limited to road stretches where high fatality numbers have been recorded.
Driver behaviour has also been ignored in the review. The big one of course, is the extension of the M17 motorway from Tuam to Derry, which campaigners have been calling for, for a number of years now. To be fair to TII and Mayo Co Council, ignoring safety upgrades while waiting for this development, would be foolish. Nonetheless, the extension of the motorway should be prioritised, for balanced regional development as well as road safety.
The review’s recommendations are now open to public examination before any final decisions are taken. Full details of the proposed changes will be available to the public at the Claremorris offices of Mayo Co Council for a period of six weeks. Public feedback is crucial and will be carefully examined before any decisions are finalised.
The Comhaltas Cleary Coyne Traditional Weekend takes place from this Friday, October 11, to Sunday 13. The official opening will take place at 8pm in Fitzpatrick's, Ballinrobe and will be performed by Councillor Damien Ryan. This will be followed by a session with local and guest musicians.
On Saturday there’s Comhrá Gaeilge agus cupán tae at 10am in The Dalton Inn Hotel. This is followed by a group workshop with Marie Walsh in The Dalton Inn from 10am to 1pm. A junior session will be held in the Square Café between 1.30 and 3.30pm. There will be a session in Gilligan’s with Cleary Coyne musicians and guests, from 3 to 5.30pm. At 7pm there will be a concert in the Town Hall, with music, song and dance featuring musicians and friends from the Cleary Coyne Comhaltas branch with special guests Fergus Bogue, Ademar O'Connor, Marie Walsh, Eileen O'Malley Mannion, Jason McGuinness, Alan Judge, James and Conor Canavan. This will be followed by a session in the front bar of The Dalton Inn Hotel.
On Sunday, October 13, from 11am to 1pm there will be an introduction to set dancing for junior members with Emily and Marie Greaney in the function room of the Dalton Inn Hotel. This will be followed by a Farewell Session from 1.30 to 3.30pm in the front bar of the Dalton Inn. For more information, contact Kevin on 087 2138871.
Padraic Gibbons, Ballyfarna, Belcarra and late of Kinturk, Ballyheane, who died last week, was a brother-in-law of the late Breda McCallig, Dromineen, who passed last month. Padraic is survived by his wife Nuala (née Jennings – Breda’s sister,) his son Pearce, daughter Tara, mother Annie Gibbons (Ballyheane), sister Mary Rose Kelly (Caherlistrane), brothers John (Castlebar) and Joseph (Aughagower), sisters-in-law Marie, Breege and Mary, brother-in-law Peter Kelly, aunt-in-law Kitty Mitchell, cousins, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. Padraic passed peacefully at home after a long illness, surrounded by his loving family. Padraic is predeceased by his father Patrick and brother Michael. Padraic was laid to rest afterwards at Guesdian Cemetery after Requiem Mass St. Anne’s Church, Belcarra. RIP.
What was Claremorris GAA Club’s finest hour? What about Garrymore, Davitts, Carramore, Mayo Gaels GAA Clubs? A new book details the finest hour of all these clubs and that of many more across the county. ‘Our Finest Hour’ is a celebration of all that is great about GAA clubs in Mayo and features a section on Claremorris GAA Club. Written by the highly respected and experienced GAA journalist, Edwin McGreal, the book features glory days from 54 football and hurling clubs throughout the county and is also a tribute to the clubs themselves and what they give to their communities. Presented as a wonderful hardback edition, this book will be launched as part of the Wild Atlantic Words Festival on Saturday, October 12 in Castlebar.
Sympathy is extended to Maura Fitzsimons, Rooskey Beg, on the passing of her brother-in-law Tom Bradley of Spring Garden, Dromard, Sligo. Tom died suddenly at his home and is predeceased by his parents Tommy and Maura, aunt Francie, infant twin brother John Robert and his brother James.
Tom is survived by his wife, Dr Helen (Fitzsimons), his young children Jane, Mark, Ruth, Kate, Luke and Sarah, his sisters Mary and Kathleen, brothers-in-law James, Dean, John and Frank, sisters-in-law Anne, Muriel (USA), Maura and Deirdre (Clogher, Westport), his father-in-law and mother-in-law Michael and Maureen (Fitzsimons), Godchildren Blaithin, David and Conor, nephews and nieces, neighbours and friends. Tom was laid to rest in St. Peter and St. Paul Cemetery, after Requiem Mass in St. Adamnan’s Church, Skreen.
The death has occurred of Thomas (Tom) Morley of Magheramore, Bekan. Tom is deeply regretted by his loving wife Mary (née Gibbons,) sons Luke, Thomas (and his fiancée Shriya,) daughters Moira and Valerie, brothers John (Canada), Alec (Sligo), sisters Myra Walsh (Drimaderra), Margaret Gethons (Canada), Kathleen Morley (Ballyfarna), Sheila Carney (Leixlip), Breege O'Meara (Celbridge) and Lena Mulligan (Ballaghadreen), sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. Tom was laid to rest in Knock Cemetery after Mass in the Church of St. John The Baptist. RIP.
The death has occurred of Padraig Warde, of Kilnock, Brickens, Claremorris, Co. Mayo and New York, unexpectedly but peacefully at the home of his brother Gabriel. Padraig is predeceased by his parents Mai and Paddy and his brother Greg. Padraig is survived by his loving wife Patrice, his daughter Kaitlyn, his brothers Larry (Knock), Ken (Manchester), Gabriel (Claremorris), J.P. (Cloonfad), sisters Kay McLaughlin (Claremorris) and Anita Ronayne (Ballykilleen), brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and his many friends in Ireland and New York. Padraig was laid to rest in Tulrahan Cemetery after Mass of the Resurrection at St. Theresa's Church, Brickens.
