TWO EAST CLARE councillors were advised to ‘put on their helmets’ after digs were fired over the presence of potholes in respective parishes.
Ordinarily noted as one of the more serene Municipal Districts, the Killaloe MD has become slightly tetchier following the elevation of Joe Cooney from the Council to the Dáil.
Councillors across the country are protective of their own native parishes and this became evident at the September meeting of the Killaloe MD when Cllr Conor Ryan (FG) tabled a motion seeking roadworks be carried out in Killanena, the homeplace of Cllr Pat Hayes (FF).
In his proposal, Cllr Ryan asked that Clare County Council include the “Dooras East Road, Caher by Tony Mc’s pub” in its future roadworks programme.
“Significant funding” was received for the R4-61 from Caher Cross to Tony McNamara’s Pub in the 2025 roadworks programme, senior executive engineer Declan Flanagan advised. A 1km section of the road received restoration improvement funding, he stated.
Flanagan added, “Following a recent inspection of this road, immediately adjacent to Tony McNamara’s Public House going Northbound towards Doorus will require approximately 700m of surface dressing works to improve this section of road. Some chip loss is evident; however, the road condition is in good shape and no potholes or significant defects are present. We will be including this particular section of road in our Regional Restoration Maintenance in our 2026 programme of works as it’s noted. The remaining section of public road to the Galway Border has three short sections of road of which require Restoration Improvement works of which will be reviewed as budgetary resources allow”.
Speaking at the September Killaloe MD meeting, Cllr Ryan explained that he was referring to the local road behind the pub and not the regional road. “It is in fair old condition, it does need restorative works, it was part of the CIS ten years ago, there was three potholes from what I noted on my travels. The residents and landowners in question are making a good job of maintaining the land as it is”.
He apologised for causing confusion with the wording of his motion. “The R461 is in fair condition, there are a few junctions where local roads meeting it and there are issues where the road surface isn’t quite what is should be, I did see a pothole below Broderick’s Furniture,” Cllr Ryan said.
Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) felt the motion “should be rewritten” and as such withdrawn. “There is a reply to the motion so I’m not sure if I can comment but there is a pothole in the Mills too,” Hayes said in reference to Cllr Ryan’s native parish.
“Put on the helmets lads,” quipped Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF). Cllr Hayes said he was also made aware of a section by Tony Mac’s which needed to be resurfaced.
