IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

Youghal Triathlon 2011 has been cancelled due to road works, being undertaken by the National Roads Authority, on the N25 between Youghal and Killeagh. These road works are expected to cause disruption until the end of October 2011. Because of the Health & Saftey implications of the situation Youghal Triathlon 2011 will not now go ahead as planned. All entries received to date will be “returned to sender” with immediate effect. The orgainsing committee would like to extend our sincere thanks to all athletes and apologise for any inconvenience caused. Hopefully we will see you all again for Youghal Triathlon 2012. Triathlon Ireland have been informed.

LISMORE TOWN COUNCIL is writing to the regional roads authority in Tramore in search of a ‘logical explanation as to why the National Roads Authority write road surface signs upside down!’ The move follows the failure by the NRA to respond to an earlier request for information at the behest of Cllr Bernard Leddy at last November’s meeting.

The councillor was exasperated by ‘incorrect use the English language’ as exemplified by such notices as:  ‘Stop To Prepare’ when read from the top down. He cited ‘Ahead Entrance Concealed’ as a more recent manifestation.

Town Clerk Karen Hallahan said her inquires failed to find any reference to protocol within NRA generated literature but that the road signage does conform to “national standards.” Cllr Leddy said the methodology was unknown on the Continent and argued that a driver without English as their first language could have come to grief by they had deciphered the message! The town clerk’s suggestion that the regional offices be asked to comment, rather than repeating the exercise with the NRA, was accepted.

YOUGHAL TOWN COUNCIL has agreed to allocate funding for the Mall Lane, following some discussion on the issue at February’s Town Council meeting. The new surface will be dual purpose to cater for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The work will cost an estimated €30,000, to be provided from a sum of €195,000 provided by the Non-National Roads Authority for road repairs in the town.

Town Clerk Liam Ryan said the lane deserved “priority status” for repairs but urged the council to decide what exactly they want to do with the lane long-term in terms of opening or closing it. Cllr Tommy O’Connell said the lane was “totally unsuitable” for vehicular traffic, with bollards being “regularly hit by cars.” He challenged his colleagues to “stand there any Friday or Saturday afternoon and see the volume of traffic using it.”

Mayor Mary Linehan Foley recalled that the laneways was closed in 2004 as “an election tactic” amidst a general feeling that a long shadow, of some time past, was about to loom large again.   When Cllr O’Connell attempted to re-introduce the Mall Lane as a point of debate later he was advised to do so at a future sitting as part of the council’s set agenda. No doubt he will.