Lost opportunity for Killaloe Market & upgrades to pedestrian bridge ‘ill-judged’ - McNamara

by Páraic McMahon paraic@clareecho.ie

LACK OF ATTENTION to the Killaloe Market is a lost opportunity, a Clare TD has said while also describing the move to complete remedial works of the pedestrian bridge in the summer season as “ill-judged”.

Deputy Michael McNamara (IND) met with senior officials in Clare County Council including Chief Executive, Pat Dowling this week.

During this engagement, the Scariff native flagged that the lack of attention to the site was a lost opportunity for the town and the wider area and was restricting the volume of traders and visitors able to attend the weekly market. Killaloe’s weekly market is held every Sunday from 11am to 3pm.

McNamara said the Council’s decision to undertake remedial works to the pedestrian bridge, one of two access points to the picturesque riverside location market, during the peak summer season was “ill-judged” and required an explanation.

He told The Clare Echo, “Located on a sliver of land between the Canal and the River Shannon, known locally as ‘between the waters’, the market is accessed from the main bridge crossing in Killaloe and from an additional metal pedestrian bridge at Royal trading area”.

Works to the pedestrian bridge should have been deferred, McNamara maintained. “The decision to close the pedestrian bridge in the peak summer period in Killaloe Municipal District’s biggest town and one of Clare’s most important tourism centres is ill-judged. Instead, these works should have taken place earlier in the year or held off until late autumn or winter.”

“Immediate improvements could be made through the relocation of the existing bottle bank to a different location in Killaloe and a commitment to ensure the public toilet remains operational at all times, which was not the case last weekend.

Such projects are generally funded after submission by Road Design to the Department of Transport under Safety Improvement Works on regional and local roads, he said. “Funding under this grant has already been allocated for 2023, therefore this project could be considered under the 2024 submission. When a draft design is completed, this project may require consultation with An Garda Síochána, the Regional Road Safety Officer and may need to be approved under Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act, 1994”.

Speaking at the May meeting of the Killaloe MD, Cllr Burke commented, “it is not my first time having a motion on this, the place has got busier since the footpaths have improved to the approach to the GAA grounds, there is a lot of children in the evening times in particular, they are finished at seven before the next crew come on, God forbid anything might happen there”.

“There used to be a crossing without any lights which motorists wouldn’t have been aware of. I’m not sure a controlled pedestrian crossing is necessary,” said Burke who serves as Whitegate’s delegate to Clare County Board meetings.

Flashing amber lights would be on at all times for this pedestrian crossing, the engineer responded. “Controlled is where traffic comes to a stop and the pedestrian has priority”.

Former Leas Cathaoirleach of the Council, Burke replied, “Whichever but it has to be done, it is something I could be raising again and that it is not to put it on the long finger, I get asked about this every week so that something could be done. There is a volume of young kids crossing a regional road and the reason they are crossing is to get to a shop”.

Parade. However, ongoing upgrade works to the pedestrian bridge has resulted in the loss of much-needed car parking spaces and market space in what is already a relatively tight

I hope the Chief Executive of Clare County Council will take my observations on board and will work with the Area Office and local Councillors to explore opportunities for the future management and development of the site, which would greatly benefit both the tourism sector and the local economy,” he concluded.

Seconding the proposal, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) stated, “With funerals and matches on there it really justifies a pedestrian crossing, I’m not sure which is suitable and will leave it to the designers”.

West Clare not adequately resourced in Garda numbers for summer influx