LOCAL residents are concerned about the road safety implications of a carnival about to take place at Shannon Hibs grounds in the coming days.
The concern is all the more acute given that young Dylan Coady Coleman was tragically killed following an accident in the area less than three months ago.
Speaking on Monday, Siobhan Hennessy of Tradaree Court said that while there is no issue with the carnival happening or with Shannon Hibs, there are real problems associated with traffic coming and going.
“I’m concerned about the traffic and the parking. The carnival going in is fine, that’s no problem,” she said.
“But there is no facility for parking in the area except along the sides of the road, which is busy, it serves nearly 350 houses and there is only one way in and one way out.
“It is really busy as it is and cars park along both sides of the road and they park on the bend. There are no zebra crossings to get across, a lot of the traffic speeds along the road,” she said on Monday.
“It is unacceptable and all I want to see is a traffic management system put in place.
“The Comprehensive have provided their parking facilities when the school is closed, and the carnival doesn’t open until the evening anyway.
“But it needs to be managed so that people use the Comprehensive school for parking and not try and park along the sides of the road.”
She said residents have been raising the issue for years, but without any solution being delivered.
“We have always said that this is a problem, that carnival has been going in there for years and years, and the traffic is always a problem on a day to day basis,” she said.
“The council have been approached on numerous occasions and have never done anything. They have put together a traffic management plan for the road, but what has been proposed isn’t suitable.
“Councillor Gerry Flynn (Ind)has proposed to change it and that off road parking be put in and speed bumps along the road, and we’re hoping that will go ahead. People are extremely worried coming up to this weekend and it is here for ten days. We just don’t want anybody to be hurt. We have been onto the council on numerous occasions without any satisfaction from them, and we’re sick of it now.”
She stressed that residents do not have a problem with the Carnival per se, but with the traffic associated with it.
Another Shannon resident, Niamh O’Callaghan also said the traffic is a major concern.
“This has been an issue for many, many years, the traffic system is the problem, not the carnival.”
She said that residents are supportive of Shannon Hibs, but expect their council to deal with the traffic problems.
“They are blue in the face from asking the council to do something about it. Councillor Pat O’Gorman (FF) has been very supportive, but he got nowhere with the council,” she said.
Earlier this year, Dylan Coady Coleman died following an accident on the road and she said there had been warnings issued about the dangers in the area.
“The residents of Cluain Airne and Tradaree have been saying for years that somebody is going to be killed,” she said.
She said that for the duration the road should be restricted to residents, without vehicular access for carnival goers. A long term solution is also needed, she added, “Going forward there needs to be a plan in place.
In a statement to residents this week the council said, “The planning authority note that this event has taken place on a number of occasions in the past. The funfair organisers will provide appropriate signage, outlining that parking, drop off and pick up will not be permitted.”
They also said that the council and gardaí will be monitoring the situation.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.