O'Connell street protest rally

redarmyblues

basquille wrote: »

Took a few spins down it today.. it really is an absolute godsend for East Ward drivers.

But in saying that.. I am in fact conflicted.

I liked it pedestrianised (we were moving towards the vision of being a bigger city - hate to use the term "metropolis" - with our main street pedestrianised), but the ability to skip the combination of John Street, Adelaide Street and Wine Street is a welcome change for me as a driver.

I do think the bollards on either side look a bit ridiculous.. safer definitely but christ, it's a bit overkill!

Yeah, I spoke to a couple of drivers from over yeer side and they said the same.
Doesn't affect me because I live in the west ward and work in the east and I mostly walk to work so the mid block route is the hate for me.

darealtulip

To be fair I couldn't care less if it was open or closed since sligo lost me for shopping to Carrick on Shannon and Enniskillen and the internet ages ago.

The thing I really don't understand why the didn't wait till after the Christmas shopping? Probaly the only time in a year it could really do with being closed!

Sligo never stops to amaze me.

TequilaMockingBird

I'm with you Mr T. Internet all the way - grocery, banking, clothes etc. I have to go to Tohers Chemists once a month, and I think that's about it.

totomcgrath

redarmyblues wrote: »

You first posted on Boards 2 days ago, your first twenty posts were on this thread and they more or less said,

-Keep O Connell Street closed.
-Chilren will skip and Gambol.
-Build an Eastern Bridge.
-The Party will give us 100M
-Everyone agrees.
-Yay.

You then, in order to hide, when confronted about it, your naked vested interest in this issue, posted 2 other token contributions.

Do you expect anything more evolved than a turtle to believe any of your assertions on here, it would help if you would engage in argument rather than retyping your tedious mantra. Perhaps you need more practice in how these forums work and you might find it over in Gombeen Politics, I hear they are looking for a mod.

Where do you think I am hiding? I am expressing an opinion! What vested interest do you think I might have? I never voted Fianna Fail in my life. However if there was a local election tomorrow and it was possible to vote for Jude Devins I would, as in my opinion, he is the only councillor brave enough to express his honest belief against the bully boys of the council.

I am an east ward resident that could clearly do with a route to the north of the town. Ok Thats a vested interest I suppose.

And as for majority of people, I am convinced, as the majority of people I have met on a day to day basis for the past 5 months think the reopening of O'Connell Street is a backward move.

Gombeen politics is the problem here!

darealtulip

TequilaMockingBird wrote: »

I'm with you Mr T. Internet all the way - grocery, banking, clothes etc. I have to go to Tohers Chemists once a month, and I think that's about it.

Haha we only do emergency toy shopping at smyths and thats it. We do our grocery shopping on line too!!

totomcgrath

redarmyblues wrote: »

*please read the forum charter - insulting other users is not okay - fozzle

I take it I was the brunt of that censored abuse... Didnt get to read it unfortunately.

I'm curious, redarmyblues. Why have I touched such a nerve in entering the discussion on a thread (which I just found 2 days ago incidentally, having been pointed towards it by a friend) about the protest against the reopening of o'connell street and who is it that you resent my honest opinions on the matter? Surely this forum is about discussing and debating such issues. Could it be that I am threatening your patch of boards with something approaching a contrary opinion?

Incidentally, I have to say, you certainly have no right to attack me and brand me a spammer just because I only recently renewed my acquaintance with boards.ie. If you see my profile I have been a member since 2004. Because I was absent from it for a long time (probably drifting between myspace and facebook) they removed some of the privileges I had previously and that makes me look like a newbie. Ok you got me now. Why the hell am I trying to justify myself! What I have done here is totally above board, engaging in healthy discussion on a subject. And then you attack me for making other "token" posts on other threads that interest me. With all due respect, please give us a break. I have just as much right to be here as you.

tedshredsonfire

The borough certainly found funding to reopen it. Those stainless bollards and paving works all done in two weeks with the guys working overtime must have cost a few euro?

Walked down it the other day with traffic and it was not the gridlock I expected but that was at 3.30 anyone on it at 5.30-6 and how is it in the mornings? What really annoyed me was the boy racers boom boom boom rev rev as they sat waiting for the lights.
Also spoke to one west wardie who said it added 10 minutes to his time to get down wine street in morning work due to the new lights at o connell street.

mickeyfitzray

totomcgrath wrote: »

I'm curious, redarmyblues. Why have I touched such a nerve in entering the discussion on a thread

He does like his conspiracy theories! In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he himself was a Council stooge! He seems unable to accept any other opinion other than his own. That's not a good starting point for a debate and neither are insults.

And regarding an earlier post commenting on Declan Bree's behaviour towards others... that's not character assassination. It is now fact.

Can I just make this one thing clear. There is no unholy alliance between beard stroking, cappucino sipping artists and the Chamber Of Commerce although both the artists community and COC support the campaign. The campaign consists of a wide range of people from all backgrounds including the East Ward so your suggestion that most of us are blow-ins and have never set foot in the East Ward is laughable.

Sligored

mickeyfitzray wrote: »

He does like his conspiracy theories! In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he himself was a Council stooge! He seems unable to accept any other opinion other than his own. That's not a good starting point for a debate and neither are insults.

And regarding an earlier post commenting on Declan Bree's behaviour towards others... that's not character assassination. It is now fact.

Can I just make this one thing clear. There is no unholy alliance between beard stroking, cappucino sipping artists and the Chamber Of Commerce although both the artists community and COC support the campaign. The campaign consists of a wide range of people from all backgrounds including the East Ward so your suggestion that most of us are blow-ins and have never set foot in the East Ward is laughable.

Thats like the pot calling the kettle black - i saw no facebook pages or petitions going around to have o connell street reopened.

So therefore only 3000 out of a population of 20000 signed your petition and became friends on the facebook page - thats 15% if my maths are correct. Hardly a majority.

Democracy rules in this town and we must abide by the decisions of the democratically elected politicians and i for one feel that the decision made is for the good of the town.

mickeyfitzray

Sligored wrote: »

Thats like the pot calling the kettle black - i saw no facebook pages or petitions going around to have o connell street reopened.

If you read my previous posts you will see that I am more than willing to listen to other peoples opinions. Indeed I have family members that don't agree with my stance. I'm also very sympathetic towards the traffic situation for the East Ward but I don't believe this is the solution or that at least a traffic plan should have been drafted first.

And there is a page for re-opening the street, it's just not doing as well as the Walking one. Of course I am aware that a Facebook page is only one way of gauging public opinion and that not everyone has access to or is interested in the Internet. But you still cannot deny the huge support for the page.

Sligored wrote: »

So therefore only 3000 out of a population of 20000 signed your petition and became friends on the facebook page - thats 15% if my maths are correct. Hardly a majority.

You don't seem to understand how petitions work. Do you really think we were able to ask all 20,000 residents of Sligo? Nearly 3,000 was a huge amount of signatures. Our target was 2,000. I was one of the people taking signatures on the day of the O'Connell Street festival and at least 90% of the people I asked were enthusiastic about signing. Of course there were people who didn't agree but we didn't insult each other. We respected each others opinion and a couple of times I ended up having a healthy debate with them.

Sligored wrote: »

Democracy rules in this town and we must abide by the decisions of the democratically elected politicians and i for one feel that the decision made is for the good of the town.

And that's where we, respectfully I hope, disagree. Yes the democratically elected councillors have the last say but that doesn't mean we have to lie down and take it if we feel they are going against the wishes of the majority. I personally believe the motivation for the Councillors was precious votes in the East Ward (whom they convinced opening O'Connell Street was the only solution) and a lingering dispute with the County Manager.

Cleaningdoctor

Since O Connell Street opened up my life is much easier, getting about town to jobs is a doddle the last couple of days.

dardevle

totomcgrath wrote: »

Where do you think I am hiding? I am expressing an opinion! What vested interest do you think I might have? I never voted Fianna Fail in my life. However if there was a local election tomorrow and it was possible to vote for Jude Devins I would, as in my opinion, he is the only councillor brave enough to express his honest belief against the bully boys of the council.

brave enough...

thats one way of putting it, or you could see him as the only council member who ,having voted to reopen the street once, then was forced to capitulate to the majority of O'Connell street keyholders and members of the chamber who happen to reside in the constituency that he represents....more from O'Connell street than lets say....bridge street:rolleyes:

...

redarmyblues

mickeyfitzray wrote: »

I personally believe the motivation for the Councillors was precious votes in the East Ward

Your aversion to our local democracy is matched by your unfamiliarity with it. Voters in the East Ward can only vote for East Ward Canditates/Councillors. ie There are no votes in the East Ward for Councillors from the North and West wards nonetheless the move to reopen O Connell St was supported by members from all Wards.

mickeyfitzray

dardevle wrote: »

brave enough...

thats one way of putting it, or you could see him as the only council member who ,having voted to reopen the street once, then was forced to capitulate...

Not true... he voted in favour of a Section 140, not pedestrianisation. If he has supported re-opening in the past I'm not aware of it but to me he has been very consistent in supporting pedestrianisation.

Also, I gave two reasons supporting my opinon of what motivated the Councillors to re-open the street. One was the votes angle which obviously pertains to those representing the East Ward. The other was a lingering feud with the County Manager which pertains to most of the other Councillors and which was quite evident in the corrospondence I recieved from the Councillors who replied to my emails.

However, like I said, that is just my opinion.

Bruce2008

Personnally I would like to see the street remain pedestrianised ... it gives a nice feel to a town..eg galway.... I agree traffic was effected... but I don't think the town will really develope for shopping with out either the street or wine street car park being pedestrianised... we need some link between the shopping centers...

fozzle

Okay, this thread's function was to alert people to a rally which is past now. Not only is it off-topic put there are a number of posters making personal attacks and judegements on other users so I'm locking the thread. Have a nice day.