*Locals hold their demonstration in Ballyvaughan. Photograph: John Mangan
ROADS were shut off on Thursday morning to mark the first ‘coming together’ of a section of the North Clare community in their efforts to bring about a better and safer road network.
Organised by Helga Himmelsbach, a week on from the death of her husband Jerry O’Connor after the motorbike he was driving was hit by a vehicle travelling on the wrong side of the road on the N67 in Ballyvaughan.
Lisdoonvarna woman Marion O’Loughlin is a neighbour of Helga’s and was among the dozens to take to the main road of Ballyvaughan on Thursday morning. “The nicest people but the good ones are always taken, he was a gentle giant. Helga has great neighbours, we will all try to help her out and keep Jerry’s memory alive and while we talk about him we will be doing that,” she said of her neighbours.
Safety is diminishing on the roads of North Clare, Marion maintained. “We are on these roads every single day and they are incredibly dangerous, it has got worse. The buses especially, the arrogance of the bus drivers, the grass isn’t cut back on the side of the roads, it is dangerous for tourists and walkers, there is nothing safe on these roads”.
She told The Clare Echo, “We need to have a one-way system for the buses, the next thing is to try and get the Council and even the walking and cycling clubs to try get a footpath as far as the Burren College of Art, there’s beautiful loop walks but they are not safe for anybody or any tourist. There is nothing here to keep tourists, it is quite dangerous.
“We have cycle lanes, some places have two cycle lanes but in Clare the road is so busy, it is the main road to the Cliffs of Moher, it really needs some kind of agreement with farmers to get a decent footpath put up for people to let them walk with their children and their dogs safely. We also have a playground across from the church and it is on a dangerous stretch of road”.
Gatherings will continue, the next takes place on Thursday August 10th at 10:30am across from the church in Ballyvaughan. Securing support on a political and local level is vital according to Marion. “If we can get the councillors on board and any of the TDs, walking clubs, cycling clubs and anyone to help”.
