*Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy with Inagh/Kilnamona camogie players, mentors and officers.
EFFORTS are underway to provide a bus stop at Kilnamona Cross.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) tried to get the wheels moving in getting a bus stop for Kilnamona Cross by encouraging the local authority to communicate with Local Link bus service.
Senior engineer, Séan Lenihan said he would also flag the matter with the National Transport Authority (NTA). “Members will be aware that the existing 331 Bus Service operates to and from Ennis, through Inagh and onto the North Clare towns of Ennistymon and Ballyvaughan. Currently, there isn’t any official Bus Stop provided for at Kilnamona but I am happy to raise this request with both Local Link and the National Transport Authority (NTA)”.
Having began her canvass for the 2024 local elections in Kilnamona, Cllr Colleran Molloy said she met three young mothers at different locations who have teenage children working in Lahinch and Ennis during the summer months “and they would love to be able to walk down to a bus stop”.
She continued, “Nothing is happening, it is like there is a lost mile between Ennis and Inagh for the next stop”. The Ballybeg resident felt a stop at Kilnamona Cross would be of assistance to persons going in to do their shopping or those looking to have a drink in town.
Local Link are “doing a great job in providing a taster for the town bus service,” Cllr Mary Howard (FG) maintained. She said she is meeting an increasing amount of people who approach her in Ennis to say they got into town for €1 thanks to the bus. “It is great to see the change in mindset, they are doing a super job, the more people on buses to get into the town centre the better,” she added.
Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) told the meeting he made a quick call to Cillian Griffey, Local Link’s transport co-ordinator for Clare “who is known to me, he said they are open to it but there are health and safety concerns at Kilnamona Cross, they are open to exploring it further”.
Improvements in connectivity are to be welcomed, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) said but flagged, “I’m also conscious of the taxi industry and the element we need to protect, there is a balance to be got”.
Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) commented, “It is obvious they should stop in Kilnamona, when it comes to hurling Inagh and Kilnamona are amalgamated, maybe former Cllr James Breen might have a bit of land to provide”.
Concluding the discussion, Cllr Colleran Molloy said, “The more people that use it the better. I’d imagine the safety issues can be overcome”.
