Bitter bypass debate to drive TDs round the bend

The Galway City Outer Bypass, once again, will be a hot topic of debate in another general election in Galway West. The controversial ring-road remains a political hot-potato and is likely to generate more fumes during the campaign than your average rush-hour traffic-jams.

Election candidates will be grilled about their views on the proposed new road during the campaign.

The grilling will come from voters whose homes will be bulldozed to make way for the road; and from those voters whose properties will be still standing but negatively impacted – nobody bought a house in the countryside back roads of Barna hoping that someday they’d build a motorway next to them.

On the other side, they’ll get a grilling from supporters of the road, those poor unfortunate commuters who face daily gridlock in the city.

Here, ahead of the Spring election, we rename your local TDs to reveal their views on the bypass*.

*           Brian “flip-flop” Walsh

*             Noel “we need to bypass Claregalway not Galway” Grealish

*             Éamon “say nothing and keep saying it” Ó Cuív

*             Derek “I’m in enough bloody trouble without wading into this controversy” Nolan

*             Seán “I thought you all wanted a bypass? No? Oh sh*t. Eh, ummm, Ah. Okay” Kyne

(*Terms and conditions apply. Views of TDs are liable to change in accordance with whether or not that view will get them more votes to get re-elected. Speaking with forked-tongue and straddling both sides of the bypass debate cannot be ruled out)

Socialist celebrates surprise sweet sixty

Billy Cameron, the Labour Party City Councillor, celebrates a significant birthday this November.

The elder statesman on Galway City Council is sixty years young on November 10.

The Bould Billy hasn’t anything planned for the day itself but given his socialist leanings we suggest a Cuban cigar would be appropriate.

The Newcastle-based Councillor was given a surprise sixtieth party, organised by his siblings, in Donegal at the weekend.

His brother Jerome and sister Margaret, as well as his four nephews and some close friends who are regarded as family, attended the surprise birthday bash in Bundoran, where his late father, Liam, was from. Another socialist – City Councillor Catherine Connolly – also celebrates a birthday in November, next week on November 5.

Even Bradley Bytes isn’t rude enough to inquire about a woman’s age – suffice to say it’s significant, too.

Given the fall-out between Catherine, now independent, and the Labour Party, it’s unlikely the two socialists will hold a joint gathering to celebrate growing a year older.

One thing they do have in common is star signs – they are both feisty Scorpios. And they certainly both have a sting in their tails.

Meaty issue

The World Health Organisation this week dramatically warned that ham, bacon and sausages rank alongside cigarettes as a cause of cancer. Not everyone is convinced, however. Former Labour Party City Councillor Nuala Nolan summed up most sausage-lovers reaction to the report with these wise words: “If you don’t drink, smoke or now don’t eat meat you won’t live longer . . . it will only seem longer.”

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.