N59 protest plan could bring Galway City to a standstill

A go-slow by a number of large vehicles from a location in the city going towards Connemara was one of the tactics agreed upon at a meeting in Maam Cross this week.

This deliberate slowdown of traffic  is being planned by the N59 Action Group which was formed following the refusal by an Bord Pleanála to permit a major upgrade of the road from Maam Cross to Clifden.

The N59 impasse is compounded by a further hold-up in the development of the section from Oughterard to Maam Cross; this has happened because the National Parks and Wildlife Service will not agree to the work methodology even though there is development permission from an Bord Pleanála, for that section.

The protest involving the clogging up of traffic in the city is a significant escalation of the campaign; this move on the western approaches is pencilled in for the coming weeks.  Precise times have not yet been confirmed but a November date looks likely.

A protest walk from Oughterard to Clifden is also planned for the weekend of November 5-6 to highlight the condition of the N59 which is the main road from Galway to Clifden and north from there to Leenane and County Mayo.

The Maam Cross meeting also arranged to have further signings of petitions at two large events in Connemara later this month – the Maam Cross October Fair and the Pony Sales at the Clifden Mart.   It is also planned to have a big social occasion in Maam Cross nearer to Christmas in order to bolster the campaign.

Josie Conneely, one of the people who initiated the N59 Action Campaign, said the time for meetings and talk was now over and that the effort would focus on stronger public action.

“There is no way that we are going to yield to any sort of half job on the N59”, he said.  “We must have a proper road and the people of Connemara deserve that.  It’s beyond belief that we are being denied a road that is so badly needed.”

While contacts are in progress between Galway County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland about “overlay” work on part of the section from Oughterard to Maam Cross, this has been described by sources in the Action Group as little more than “a scrape of tar and chips” – they say this is only an excuse for a complete upgrade that would be long lasting and safe.

The organisational meeting organised by the Action Group in Maam Cross was attended by Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh and Councillors Joe Folan and Thomas Healy.

The N59 controversy is due to come up again at a meeting of the Dáil and Seanad Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht next week.  Public representative from Galway are likely to attend that meeting.