UPGRADED LIGHTING will be installed opposite a Ballynacally church constructed over a decade after the Famine, within the next two years.
Calls for a new LED light across from Ballycorrick Church and a replacement of the existing lights with LEDS was proposed by Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) before a recent meeting of the West Clare Municipal District.
Senior executive engineer in the West Clare MD, Alan Kennelly explained that road and traffic safety issues persist with “providing additional public lighting columns outside speed-restricted areas where the maximum speed limit applies. This is the case at Ballycorick Church, which is on the on the R473 regionally important road. Therefore, an additional lighting column is not feasible”.
Kennelly confirmed that existing light bulbs will be changed to LED as part of the National RMO Lighting project. “It is expected that the changeover to LED bulbs will be completed in Clare (part of the South West Region) in 2023 / 2024. As all old-style bulbs are to be replaced with LED’s in the near future, the West Clare MD does not currently have a budget to upgrade to LED. However, the upgrade of existing bulbs to LED is relatively inexpensive and if a funding source can be identified then I am sure that the bulbs can be replaced sooner”.
While acknowledging the response, Cllr Kelly admitted he would have preferred had it been more positive. He suggested a revaluation be done in collaboration with the ESB. “Maybe relocate the lights across the road where the footpath is at the minute. We might come up with the desirable, it might not be easy to make it attainable,” he remarked. “Often the LEDs make a big difference if they go,” Kennelly replied. Support for the motion was voiced by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG).
Politics is nothing new to Ballycorrick church with Fr Michael Dinan, the man appointed parish priest of the area in 1853, active in both religious and political circles. During his tenure two churches were built within a very short space of time and he was also active in the O’Connell Monument Committee in Ennis.
Reports from March 1858 detailed that a site for a new church had been given by Thomas Rice Henn of Paradise. The same gentleman also gave £50 towards the building, a considerable sum at that time. Donations of £17 from the people of Ogonnelloe, £30 from Tulla and £36.13 from the parishes of Kildysart and Coolmeen were given to the building fund from 1859 to 1860.
Tenders were sought for the building of the church in April 1858, the design of which was completed by W.E. Corbett, Esq. The entire cost of the building was estimated to be £1500.11 which at the time was viewed locally as an enormous task given the Famine had lasted until 1852.
Ballycorrick Church was officially opened on 17th February 1861. The first major renovation works took place in 1970 at a cost of over £20,000 while works just shyt of €500,000 began in March 2002 which included a new roof, restoring of the stained glass window and an extension of the sacristy.
