Local notes: New bridge for rail passengers in Ballyhaunis
Mayo County Council officials and members of the local community conducting a walkability audit of Ballyhaunis.
Irish Rail is planning a new bridge for Ballyhaunis station which will allow those with disabilities to cross the tracks from the station house to board Westport-bound trains.
A spokesperson for Irish Rail, Barry Kenny, told this column: “We intend to lodge a planning application for a new bridge with lifts at Ballyhaunis next month. Planning and funding will determine the timing of works, but it is a priority for us. In the interim, where we receive notice, we can arrange for trains to call to the accessible platform – customers who require this can contact access@irishrail.ie.” Passengers are currently required to cross via footbridge to board west-bound trains, a challenge for those with mobility issues.
Meanwhile, Irish Rail is also aware of a lack of parking at the Ballyhaunis station, which has seen in some instances passengers parking on footpaths near the stations, to the inconvenience of pedestrians.
“Our full review of our car parking requirements across the network is progressing with the National Transport Authority, and is expected to be completed this Autumn,” said Kenny.
“We do recognise that the car park at Ballyhaunis is regularly oversubscribed, and any timing of works to add further spaces will be subject to the outcome of the national review, and funding from the NTA,” he added.
Broken surfaces as well as obstacles like sandwich boards and parking on footpaths were all highlighted during a survey of Ballyhaunis’ pedestrian spaces last week organised by Mayo County Council.
Five key routes for the survey were identified using feedback from the public consultation for the Ballyhaunis Town Centre First Plan and advice from the Town Team that helped research the plan, explained Eileen O’Connor, Mayo Age Friendly Manager.
“These are the most used routes to access shopping, amenities, schools, religious buildings and key places in the town. Five groups walked one route each, to identify any problems, highlight areas of concern, acknowledge where provision is good and to make suggestions about improvements. Each group had a leader who guided the walk, took photos, ensured everyone was safe.
“During the Walkability Audit, consideration was given to places to rest or sit – age-friendly seating – as well as crossings, obstacles such as cars parking on footpaths, bins, overhanging trees or shrubs and street signage, including signs on footpaths.
“Other considerations included how the streets look and feel – are they clean, is there a feeling of safety, are people considerate? All the feedback was collected during a debriefing session in Communal House at Clare Court social housing scheme.
“The information collected (photographs, feedback, questionnaires, comments) will form an important report, vital to make a case for funding to carry out relevant works, priority being given to the most urgent issues. It will also be included in the Ballyhaunis Town Centre First Plan.” Speaking at the monthly meeting of Ballyhaunis Community Council local councillor Alma Gallagher – who participated in the walkability audit – explained that while there isn’t a specific Mayo County Council budget to fix the issues outlined, priority issues such as yellow street markings for no-parking areas will be acted upon urgently.
“This well-attended event aimed to review access for everyone in the town using the NTA [National Transport Authority] Universal Design Walkability Audit Tool for Roads and Streets, with a particular focus on Ballyhaunis as an Age Friendly town: if a place is age-friendly it is usually fully accessible to all other age groups and abilities.” All age groups and abilities were represented in the audit conducted on July 21. Local groups like Western Care were invited to participate in the audit while local Gardai were also present.
Several offices at Mayo County Council collaborated on the exercise: Mayo Age Friendly Programme, Mayo Town Centre First Programme, Claremorris Swinford Municipal District and Mayo Active Travel. The TownCentre First Plan is overseen by the town regeneration office at the Council, Anne McCarthy, who also participated in the walkability audit.
A government review of the work permit system under which an increasing number of workers are being recruited has prompted a call from a Ballyhaunis-based worker for reform to allow workers bring their families with them.
40,000 work permits were issued to non-EU workers in 2024 for roles in sectors like care work and meat processing. Also included in the figure are skilled workers in construction hired from outside the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) as well as IT and medical staff are hired under a ‘critical skills’ category of permit.
John Dave Hasalan, a Filipino native working as a welder in a Ballyhaunis rendering plant, is calling for reforms to allow skilled workers the same rights as those on a critical work permit to bring their families with them. “This will allow skilled workers like me to bring their families with them immediately in Ireland without the need of waiting for one year to apply and another one to two years for decision,” explained Hasalan.
He also wants general work permit holders to obtain a Stamp 4 (allowing permanent residence) after 21 months, “the same as the critical permit holders, rather than waiting four years and nine months to obtain the stamp [as is currently the case].”
“Skilled workers fall under the general work permit. Only engineers are categorised as critical, I think, and nurses and doctors,” said Hasalan.
“General work permit holders should have the same opportunity with critical permit holders regarding to bringing the family with them... just like the Filipino nurses and engineers here who came in Ireland with their families.”
Filipino skilled workers in Ireland will be more inspired to work harder if they’re accompanied by family, said Halasan, “seeing their wife and children each day... and it benefits the company as well having healthy employees physically and mentally.
“Reform of the permit system will also encourage workers to stay at the company [rather than] jump and move to another company just to find a bigger salary because if they come here with their wives, their wives can also work and help them.”
A team of volunteers from Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns was busy on recent evenings caring for trees planted in the grounds of the friary, paring back long grass to ensure the trees have sunlight to grow.
The trees were sown this spring as part of a series of plantings funded by the Hare's Corner project run by BurrenBeo, a charity promoting the planting of native trees on farms and in public spaces.
“Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns planted five heritage apple trees and 50 native Irish trees in the Friary Grounds,” explained Laura Dinraths from Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns. “The area extending behind the Community Garden and Friary Abbey is divided into ‘Food forest/Heritage Orchard’, native trees, native shrubs and wildflower meadows,” she explained.
The plantings are also part of the Biodiversity Action Plan published last year by Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns and launched at a public event.
“The native trees planted include Burren/Scots pine, Aspen, black poplar, holly, pedunculate oak, purging buckthorn, spindle, downy birch and hawthorn. Additionally, alders, willows, hawthorn and birch have been planted on the river side.
“Following biodiversity actions outlined in our Biodiversity Action Plan, we sowed yellowrattle in spots in the meadow parts, to slow grass and enable space for more native wildflowers. We will sow yellow rattle seeds in various spots over the next few years, and let it establish itself in the meadow.
“Over the next bare-root planting season, ten more apple trees and a mix of native trees and shrubs, including birch, holly, rowan, bird cherry, guelder rose and elder, will be planted to complete the three tree areas. Over the years, replacement trees/shrubs and berry shrubs will be planted where needed.”
National Heritage Week will be marked in Ballyhaunis this year with a Wool Craft Day on Sunday, August 17, bringing a full day of workshops led by experts in knitting, weaving, spinning and crochet. Organised by Ballyhaunis Community Council, there will also be a free children's weaving workshop and talks on the history of Foxford Mills and sustainability.
On the evening of Saturday, August 23 there’s a multimedia exhibition on forged (wrought iron) farm gates, a symbol of Irish attachment to land and rural craftsmanship. Also that evening, there will be an audiovisual presentation by Ballyhaunis Bike Clinic on the high Nelly bicycle, once manufactured in Ireland. They'll also present two high nellies recently refurbished by the group.
An exhibition of photos taken by Henry Madden over the years in the Ballyhaunis area will be displayed during the events on the 23rd at the Ballyhaunis Community Hall. Queries can be directed to ballyhauniscommunitycouncil@gmail.com and 087-9777899.
