Cork village protests as it is ‘forgotten’ on N22 bypass signage | CPT PPP Coverage

Cryptopolytech (CPT) Public Press Pass (PPP)
News of the Day COVERAGE

200000048 – World Newser
•| #World |•| #Online |•| #Media |•| #Outlet |

View more Headlines & Breaking News here, as covered by cryptopolytech.com

The chairman of Coiste Forbartha Chill na Martra, Gearóid Ó hÉalaithe, said there was no excuse for the omission of Cill na Martra – as well as the villages of Réidh na nDoirí and Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh – from the signage.

“We are pursuing this issue is very important that our village is signposted at the very least from the bypass,” he said, adding that Cill na Martra will be the location for Comórtas Pile na Gaeltachta, a GAA competition involving teams travelling from all over the island to participate, next Summer.

The concern of Cill na Martra residents comes as the organisers of a postcard campaign to demand signage for Gaeltacht Mhúscraí and its villages on the by-pass have said their protest is gathering momentum,

According to the manager of Comharchumann Forbhartha Mhúscraí, the Múscraí Gaeltacht development co-operative, hundreds of postcards have been sent to Transport Minister Eamon Ryan by local people, whether at home, or abroad since the campaign was launched last week.

The campaign was launched as the second part of the bypass, from Carrigaphooka, east of Macroom, to Tún Lán, west of the double village of Baile Mhúirne/Baile Mhic Íre, opened on Friday. “We’re sending postcards to Minister Ryan to get his support for better signage for Gaeltacht Mhúscraí and the villages on the bypass,” said Caroline Nolan, Comharchumann Forbartha Mhúscraí manager.

“We’ve got locals who are sending them in their droves and people from Múscraí who are on their holidays as well as people with links to the Gaeltacht from the broader diaspora.

“It’s an important issue for us as while the bypass is welcome in many ways, we think its vital for the continued development of Múscraí in terms of tourism, that people know where we are and this is especially the case in terms of motorists on the bypass.”

The Comharchumann is also seeking meetings with senior Cork County Council and TII officials as the group believes it had an agreement with them since 2021 to have adequate signage in place when the bypass opened.

In a report broadcast last week on Nuacht TG4, Cork County Council indicated it wouldn’t be erecting additional signs to Gaeltacht Mhúscraí.

While the new 8km section of the bypass does feature a small ‘An Ghaeltacht – Múscraí’ sign at the eastern boundary of the Gaeltacht area, it only includes a ‘G’ in old Gaelic lettering on signs nearer the villages of Baile Mhúirne and Baile Mhic Íre.

The absence of signage for Cill na Martra on the bypass or at its exits at Gurteenroe near Macroom or Tún Lán near Baile Mhic Íre sharply contrasts with the abundance of signs for the Cúl na Cathrach ambush site at these locations.

While these signs are necessary for a significant historic site marking the location of a pivotal War of Indepence engagement in 1921, there is strong feeling locally that living Irish speaking communities should also be adequately signposted.

In a statement issued by the Department of Transport, it said that Cork County Council was the body with the responsibility to decide how to interpret the Traffic Signs Manual, which the Department prepares, and which signs to use.

At a recent meeting of Macroom Municipal District Council, when the issue was being discussed, councillors were told that the decisions about which signs should be on the bypass rested with Transport Infrastructure Ireland.