N69/N22/N70 Tralee Bypass

carchaeologist

Just off the phone to my father. He said he used to work with the smithy when he was a lad. The smithys name was Tom Shanahan, known as Tom the yank for reasons my father didn't know. He was one of the few blacksmiths in Tralee that didn't drink.

Tom Shanahan used to live across the road up towards the college about 3 houses up on the right.

The father reckons he was still there in the early 1970s, but he can't be sure exactly.

There was a huge bellows inside the forge that my father would use to work the fire which was in the middle of the floor raised about 2' and about 6' square.

The water from the standpipe was piped from a well across the road from where the ESB station beside Lots is now.

There was a round grinding stone outside the forge with a hole in the centre which was used to band cartwheels. The wheels axle would be located in the centre hole. It was a skilled operation and a big affair when he was doing this job as there would usually be 20 or so farmers getting their wheels banded on the one day. They would all bring some turf for the fire that was lit outside to heat the banding which was rapidly cooled after being placed on the wooden wheel in a stream that was passing by at that time to shrink the banding in place.

carchaeologist

There was an old car(Peugeot 104) inside the forge for about 20 years or so, me being me i took a few shots of it and some of the interior of the forge can be seen.


It was taken out last week just before the forge was demolished.


And a front on shot for posterity i took a few weeks ago before the Forge was demolished.

stevielenihan

Jim05 wrote: »

Any idea of a completion date for the project

It will be complete around May 2013

spacetweek

carchaeologist wrote: »

He was one of the few blacksmiths in Tralee that didn't drink.

I love that bit for some reason

carchaeologist

spacetweek wrote: »

I love that bit for some reason

Yeah, me too, says a lot about the profession in general!
Search 'forge' in the Kennelly archive and you will see what the forge would have been like in operation.

dmeehan

A lot of stop/go single line traffic in the area lately

ongarboy

<H1>latest road closure announcements from Kerry Co Co website for the next few months to facilitate construction of the bypass. Some roads are being closed for a month or more.



Temporary Closing of Roads - N22/N69 Bypass

</H1>Released: 05 April 2012

KERRY COUNTY COUNCIL
TEMPORARY CLOSING OF ROADS
SECTION 75 OF ROADS ACT 1993

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to Section 75 of the Roads Act, 1993, and the Temporary Closing of Roads Regulations, 1994, Kerry County Council proposes to close to public traffic the following Local Roads:

National Secondary Road N70, in the townland of Camp, Tralee, for a period of two (2) days between the dates of Thursday, 26th April 2012 and Friday, 4th May 2012.

Local Road L-2020 (Ballinorig Road), in the townlands of Ballinorig West & Ballinorig South, for a period of five (5) days between the dates of Thursday, 26th April 2012 and Friday, 11th May 2012.

Local Road L-6547 (Ballyseedy Road), in the townland of Dromavally, for a period of forty (40) consecutive days between the dates of Thursday, 26th April 2012 and Tuesday, 5th June 2012.

Local Road L-2016 (Forge Cross), in the townlands of Dromthacker and Muing West, for a period of thirty (30) consecutive days between the dates of Thursday, 1st May 2012 and Thursday, 31st May 2012.

The purpose of the road closures is to avoid major interface between construction plant and road users (General Public) and to facilitate the construction of the N22/N69 Tralee Bypass Road Improvement Scheme.
Alternative routes will be clearly signposted and limited access will be provided to local residents.

Any person having an objection to these proposals should lodge same with the Administrative Officer, Roads & Transportation Department, Room 115, Áras an Chontae, Tralee, County Kerry not later than 4.00 p.m. on Wednesday 11th April 2012.

carchaeologist

Much thanks ongarboy!

carchaeologist

National Secondary Road N70, in the townland of Camp, Tralee, for a period of two (2) days between the dates of Thursday, 26th April 2012 and Friday, 4th May 2012.

Local Road L-2020 (Ballinorig Road), in the townlands of Ballinorig West & Ballinorig South, for a period of five (5) days between the dates of Thursday, 26th April 2012 and Friday, 11th May 2012.

Seeing as these dont add up, is it random days between these dates that these roads will be closed?

ongarboy

carchaeologist wrote: »

Seeing as these dont add up, is it random days between these dates that these roads will be closed?

yeah, must be non-consecutive days within the period.

carchaeologist

Todays Bridge pic, centre colums are now up full height..

Toilet still in roughly same position..:D

stevielenihan

will the bypass be going under that road or over it?

carchaeologist

stevielenihan wrote: »

will the bypass be going under that road or over it?

Bypass will go under that bridge. It's got quite a wide span with two sets of twin concrete pillars in the middle. Shouldn't be long now before they start the roadway over the bridge.

stevielenihan

carchaeologist wrote: »

Bypass will go under that bridge. It's got quite a wide span with two sets of twin concrete pillars in the middle. Shouldn't be long now before they start the roadway over the bridge.

It will be a big bridge. Would I be right in saying thta the bridge should be complete around June?

carchaeologist

stevielenihan wrote: »

Would I be right in saying thta the bridge should be complete around June?

You would. I hope to be able to get some good shots from the bridge then
of the road under construction, though I would assume they will do all the bridge work along the route before the road is constructed.

stevielenihan

carchaeologist wrote: »

You would. I hope to be able to get some good shots from the bridge then
of the road under construction, though I would assume they will do all the bridge work along the route before the road is constructed.

Yes I reckon they will get the bridges done first and then finish the road

carchaeologist

Killarney road just before it narrows at Flemby, looking towards Tralee, pic taken today.

stevielenihan

How do i become a moderator?

carchaeologist

stevielenihan wrote: »

How do i become a moderator?

You cant just become one, its something you have to earn over time and be promoted to by other Moderators. I was here over 3 and a half years before i was asked to do it, and still, its just this forum i moderate which is a fairly quiet forum in fairness. Its not a job thats given lightly nor is particularly easy though.

Its also not a subject for this thread either, so this is the end of it.:)

kingdumb

ha ha

carchaeologist wrote: »

... nor is particularly easy though.

carchaeologist

kingdumb wrote: »

ha ha

Well, around here its ok, but some Forums are no fun at all!:D

carchaeologist

Bridge pic this week, looks like there is concrete being poured on top of the pillars to take the bridge span.

carchaeologist

Forge cross roundabout is progressing well..






College road is closed from today to facilitate the construction of the new road to the roundabout.

ongarboy

Hi, just looking at the map of the bypass again. There is a connecting road coming from Clash Industrial estate out onto the bypass. Is this actually an exit/entrance to the bypass or will this road be a flyover crossing the bypass?

It will be interesting to see how quickly motorists (who would benefit from the bypass) change their routes once the bypass opens. I would think it will take a full year after opening for new and regular traffic habits to emerge as people are often slow to change from their habitual routes even if there are time savings to be made. In reality, I would think people who live or do business in Tralee will avail of the bypass the least (but will benefit from having the streets of Tralee less congested by those who had no business in town but who were previously forced to use them as they had no alternative).

A1 Dan

This may be of interest to those looking for the history of the recently demolished forge:-

http://www.irishlifeandlore.com/result-collection.php?collectionName=Kerry%20county,%20fifth%20series

Interviewee: George Rice (born 1921)
Interview location: Knockawaddra, Tralee
Audio series: Kerry county, fifth series
Product ID: CDKY05-11
Subject: Dromtacker and its vicinity
Recorded by: Maurice O’Keeffe
Recording date: 2006
Length: 44.57
Track 1: George describes the local landmarks in Dromtacker including Forge Cross, the Forge and Sinn Fein Hall, the farming community at Dromtacker prior to the building of the Technology Park. Track 2: The local townlands are recalled. Track 3: The three ringforts in the townland of Dromtacker are described, as are local placenames and their meaning. Track 4: The old golf links and Forge Cross, a meeting-place. Track 5: A discussion on the Big River, its tributaries and its estuary. Track 6: Local thatched houses and the fire at the family thatched farmhouse in the 1920s. Track 7: The Daly and Sheehy families who farmed the land at Dromtacker in years gone by.
Buy on disk: €15.00

Buy MP3: €7.00

Please be aware of the following before purchasing downloads:
Number of files: 5
File size(s): 11.63 MB, 6.91 MB, 12.48 MB, 8.68 MB, 11.79 MB
Bitrate: 160 kbps
Download time limit: 48 hours

A1 Dan

And how about these aerial photos:-

http://www.aerialphoto.ie/2011/02/18/tralee-bypass-aerial-photography/

carchaeologist

New road under construction to roundabout at Forge cross looking up towards the college.

Ciarrai76

carchaeologist wrote: »

Forge cross roundabout is progressing well..

I live very close to there, before you come to forge cross, yet I had no idea what they were doing! haha! Now I know

carchaeologist

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

I live very close to there, before you come to forge cross, yet I had no idea what they were doing! haha! Now I know

Ha, what did you think they were doing!! I'm further out the road myself, it's going to be strange driving through two roundabouts to get to town.

Ciarrai76

carchaeologist wrote: »

Ha, what did you think they were doing!! I'm further out the road myself, it's going to be strange driving through two roundabouts to get to town.

I don't know, I didn't really give it much thought! haha
not sure why there's going to be a roundabout there though, seems a bit of an odd spot.