that junction in ennistymon

Brennans Row

squonk wrote: »

I think even a symbolic contribution like 10% of the cost of relocating the buildings might be seen as a gesture of goodwill by all.

Sounds like a positive proposal to diffuse the negativity surrounding the issue.

Additionally the County Council could team up with FÁS to reconstruct / conserve the buildings of Blakes corner after they have moved them.

That could take some people off the dole and give them some practical experience like carpentry, masonry etc.

When money is tight volunteerism is another source to tap into where for example an architect could offer his know how.

The County Council can also recoup some of their restoration costs by selling the buildings when market conditions are more favourable.

In the long run one needs a local civic trust to help restore the towns heritage.

I'm no local, just a regular holiday visitor to the Burren and I like Ennistymon's heritage too much to refrain from commenting on it.

haybob

Brennans Row wrote: »

Sounds like a positive proposal to diffuse the negativity surrounding the issue.

Additionally the County Council could team up with FÁS to reconstruct / conserve the buildings of Blakes corner after they have moved them.

That could take some people off the dole and give them some practical experience like carpentry, masonry etc.

When money is tight volunteerism is another source to tap into where for example an architect could offer his know how.

The County Council can also recoup some of their restoration costs by selling the buildings when market conditions are more favourable.

In the long run one needs a local civic trust to help restore the towns heritage.

I'm no local, just a regular holiday visitor to the Burren and I like Ennistymon's heritage too much to refrain from commenting on it.

Ennistymon is very important town to North and even West Clare, it offers banking, legal, accounting, medical, dental services as well as shops and pubs, I believe the supermarket to be as good if not better than most.

It should be noted that it offers these services to locals and hundreds and thousands of tourists.

Like I said earlier the real issue with Blakes corner is the level of traffic that passes by, it is the main route to Lahinch and one of two to the cliffs it’s just unsustainable.

I would suggest if you interested in the heritage of Ennistymon you have a look at the old forge and a look up Parliament street, the famine memorial on the lahinch road, the old court house and the Moanreel ambush memorial, and if you can get your hands on the book called Memories of Ennistymon Creamery it’s almost a history of the local area

Shapey Fiend

Clare Co. Council have in the past not been particularly fantastic at preserving the character of villages and towns in the county. The bridge is always going to be a bottleneck regardless. When Ennistymon is trying to market itself to tourists as a town of traditional shop fronts knocking Blakes Corner is a bad idea.

99% of the time it's grand it's mostly a problem on hot days when half the county decide to go that things get jammed.

haybob

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

Clare Co. Council have in the past not been particularly fantastic at preserving the character of villages and towns in the county. The bridge is always going to be a bottleneck regardless. When Ennistymon is trying to market itself to tourists as a town of traditional shop fronts knocking Blakes Corner is a bad idea.

99% of the time it's grand it's mostly a problem on hot days when half the county decide to go that things get jammed.

It isn't grand 99% of the time, what about the tour buses going to the cliffs of moher, up on a million people visit the cliffs of moher ever year, Ennistymon as a whole is not just a tourist town it has other economic value hindered by the junction.


I actually think this should be voted on in the next local election

Lady Chatterton

No work expected on Blake's Corner until 2015 :eek:

http://www.clarechampion.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13224:no-work-on-blakes-corner-until-2015&catid=66:north&Itemid=56

fryup

Here we go again folks, more fun & games at Blakes corner:cool:

took me over an hour trying to get home from lahinch today....

its gettin beyond a joke now

Clareman

I can't understand the fascination with everyone piling back to Lahinch at the first sight of fine weather, there are some far nicer beaches in Clare that are far more accessible with nicer drives back to them, personally I like to head back to Spanish Point or the White Strand of places like that via Miltown, either that or back to Kilkee.

dmc17

Clareman wrote: »

I can't understand the fascination with everyone piling back to Lahinch at the first sight of fine weather, there are some far nicer beaches in Clare that are far more accessible with nicer drives back to them, personally I like to head back to Spanish Point or the White Strand of places like that via Miltown, either that or back to Kilkee.

Shhhhhhhh

colm_mcm

fryup wrote: »

Here we go again folks, more fun & games at Blakes corner:cool:

took me over an hour trying to get home from lahinch today....

its gettin beyond a joke now

You're doing it wrong. There are alternative scenic routes.

fryup

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

yes i know they are alternative routes and destinations, but try telling that to the poor tourists and esp the poor coach drivers who aren't clued up on the local roads

there's no getting away from the fact that Lahinch is by far the no 1 coastal destination in co clare ..with its growing reputation amongst the surfing fraternity throughtout europe...so isn't it about time someone in clare.co.co grasped the nettle by the hand and do something about that poxy junction, its an embarrassment in this day & age

colm_mcm

Were you driving a bus? I couldn't wait an hour.

fryup

colm_mcm wrote: »

Were you driving a bus? I couldn't wait an hour.

no, just a regular joe going to Lahinch for the day

blowin3

Clareman wrote: »

I can't understand the fascination with everyone piling back to Lahinch at the first sight of fine weather, there are some far nicer beaches in Clare that are far more accessible with nicer drives back to them, personally I like to head back to Spanish Point or the White Strand of places like that via Miltown, either that or back to Kilkee.

Was in Milltown today working and decided to go to White strand for my lunch
big mistake .The place was thronged with cars every where even charging 2 e to park in a field. I suppose Willie Clancy and the sun so got out of there fast and came home early .

colm_mcm

fryup wrote: »

no, just a regular joe going to Lahinch for the day

Ah right, there are a few alternative routes you can take that will bring you out the kilshanny side of Ennistymon.

haybob

I believe councillor Bill Slattery and a some high profile local business people were on Joe Duffy today. Now I'm not a hugh fan of Joe or Councillor Slattery for that matter but the last 3 week have been hell and the issue need to be addresses.

Someone might fill us in on what was said please

fryup

haybob wrote: »

Someone might fill us in on what was said please

there's a link to the item half way down this page

btw, i'm surprised clare fm's morning focus doesn't cover it

Shapey Fiend

Knocking stuff at the corner isn't going to improve matters much. The bridge is too narrow. Building a bypass for what is mostly seasonal traffic, and it's a very short season generally, isn't very cost effective. Maybe signage could be erected to better explain the alternative routes to people. There are two other bridges only a couple of miles either side of Ennistimon.

Mr. G

If its very busy or sunny, I would take the back road (from church street in ennistymon go out the kilfenora road, swing left and go around). Takes about 15 minutes to get to lahinch.

Dampintheattic

Mr. G wrote: »

If its very busy or sunny, I would take the back road (from church street in ennistymon go out the kilfenora road, swing left and go around). Takes about 15 minutes to get to lahinch.

Yea. Like half the day trippers and holiday makers are doing. Narrow roads. Too many bends. Bushes and vegitation growing out too far. Abandoned by the council.
Isn't absolutely crazy, to have a dead straight, almost flat, wide safe road, with a wide cycle / pedestrian lane, recently upgraded road between the bridge in Ennistymon and Lahinch, being abandoned in favour of the back road dirts tracks, fit only for minimal traffic.

Mr. G

Dampintheattic wrote: »

Yea. Like half the day trippers and holiday makers are doing. Narrow roads. Too many bends. Bushes and vegitation growing out too far. Abandoned by the council.
Isn't absolutely crazy, to have a dead straight, almost flat, wide safe road, with a wide cycle / pedestrian lane, recently upgraded road between the bridge in Ennistymon and Lahinch, being abandoned in favour of the back road dirts tracks, fit only for minimal traffic.

I know its not ideal, but you could argue the road from Kilfenora to Corofin is just as bad a road(in particular to Kilinaboy).

What do you think will really solve the problem? Is knocking Blakes and building a roundabout really going to stop the tail back further back?

To be honest there are much better beaches then lahinch in the country anyway.

haybob

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

Knocking stuff at the corner isn't going to improve matters much. The bridge is too narrow. Building a bypass for what is mostly seasonal traffic, and it's a very short season generally, isn't very cost effective. Maybe signage could be erected to better explain the alternative routes to people. There are two other bridges only a couple of miles either side of Ennistimon.

Knocking it will improve things, I agree with you about the bypass however there is another alternative where the council could buy the building the other side of ther road where off the rails is.

AGAIN I ask those who wish to preserve Ennistymon what about the old fordge and the buildings up parliment street ???

relaxed

Shapey Fiend wrote: »

Knocking stuff at the corner isn't going to improve matters much. The bridge is too narrow. Building a bypass for what is mostly seasonal traffic, and it's a very short season generally, isn't very cost effective. Maybe signage could be erected to better explain the alternative routes to people. There are two other bridges only a couple of miles either side of Ennistimon.

They need to look at what is feasible given the current budget constraints.

I'd go with knocking the houses on the corner and widening the bridge. Can't imagine it should cost more than €2m. Also maybe pedestrian / cycle bridges up and down stream of the road bridge.

Plenty of room to widen the bridge upstream of the current bridge.

Even cheaper would be knock the houses and put in a metal prefabricated pedestrian / cycle footbridge, using the existing footpaths for road pavement.

Its a small enough river, almost dry at the moment so engineering works can't be too complicated so shouldn't be too expensive.

periodictable

Council should just go in with a digger and knock the damned thing. Enough of the horse****.

Jim Martin

All they need to do is put in traffic lights & as long as they are spaced far enough back from the junction to allow for the wide berth that long vehicles need to negotiate the turn - problem solved!

relaxed

Jim Martin wrote: »

All they need to do is put in traffic lights & as long as they are spaced far enough back from the junction to allow for the wide berth that long vehicles need to negotiate the turn - problem solved!

I suspect that 2 buses / camper vans / trucks will still struggle to pass on the bridge, but a pedestrian bridge outside and removing the footpaths would cheaply solve that problem.

Next problem though is that Ennistymon acts as a filter, the first roundabout at Ennis will be the bottleneck instead every evening.

Jim Martin

relaxed wrote: »

I suspect that 2 buses / camper vans / trucks will still struggle to pass on the bridge, but a pedestrian bridge outside and removing the footpaths would cheaply solve that problem.

Next problem though is that Ennistymon acts as a filter, the first roundabout at Ennis will be the bottleneck instead every evening.

Then locate the traffic light on the Lahinch road before the bridge - again, problem solved!

ger664

relaxed wrote: »

Next problem though is that Ennistymon acts as a filter, the first roundabout at Ennis will be the bottleneck instead every evening.

You are having a laugh. Very little traffic will come of the ring road going into ennis here on this roundabout, So Traffic on the Lahinch road should rarely have to stop yield on entry here. Secondly there is 2 options open to traffic here go into Ennis or the ring road. If there is a delay on the traffic into ennis you can still go down the ring road and exit on beech road, Kilrush or Clarecastle roundabouts.

As regards Ennistymon, there is room to build a bridge between the Post Office and the bakery on the ennis road. Then have a one way system Blakes Corner with a left only turn for Ennistymon Traffic.

Snowc

Jim Martin wrote: »

Then locate the traffic light on the Lahinch road before the bridge - again, problem solved!

Jimmy your missing the problem I am afriad,the problem is them old buildings which need to be bulldozed asap,I have passed this place once or twice a year and it would make you sick.

periodictable

The council owns the houses-it paid €600,000 for them.Another €200,000 has been spent on EIS/consultant reports/maintenance. Money that can be better spent elsewhere.
We cannot preserve things for the sake of preservation. Pull them down immediately, make the turn safe, and allow a better view of the river. No more public money on this nonsense, please.

Brennans Row

Solution found for Blakes Corner traffic issues (Clare Herald)

A briefing of Councillors by Roughan and O’Donovan Consulting Engineers, who had been engaged by the Council to review the issue and design a scheme to deal with the problem, has confirmed that the emerging preferred solution would involve the construction of an inner relief road incorporating a new bridge across the Inagh River 80 metres upstream of the existing Conway Bridge and Blakes Corner.

The proposed inner relief road would link the Ennis Road with the Lahinch Road and would also involve an upgrading and realignment of Bogbere Street.

muggles

The "solution" apparently involves the demolition of a number of other buildings, including occupied homes and a business West Clare Flowers who has posted the following on their Facebook page:

Hi everyone.
I really cant believe I am having to actually having to do this. I am asking for your help. As some of you might know Clare Co Council have come up with a solution to the traffic congestion at Blakes Corner. This involves building a new bridge across the river, without touching the two unoccupied (and derelict) buildings at Blakes Corner.
What the Council do not mention is that their "solution" involves knocking several other buildings to the ground - my flower shop together with our family home, the old post office (now social welfare office) and the O'Donoghue family home on the Ennis road (these are elderly couple, both with disabilities who have had their home specially adapted and do not want to be forced out of their home).
Our homes and businesses are being sacrificed because Clare Co Co have decided it an easier option to knock these family homes and businesses to the ground rather than to move back Blakes corner, The council already paid over €600,000 to buy these two buildings.
I'm in favour of preserving Ennistymons past. But what about Ennistymons future? We need the support of everyone in our community to stand together with us and fight for the town. I am asking Clare Co Co to make the brave decision, and one that I feel the majority of the public are in agreement with - move back the buildings on Blakes corner. Make it safe.
___________________________________________________

May I ask, when the council refers to it's future rehabilitation plans for the Blakes/Linnanes buildings, exactly what do they have in mind? Are the just going to be preserved to be admired by a passer by or are they actually going to put them to use??

Clareman

Personally I can't see the fascination with keeping Blake's Corner where it is, it's extremely badly maintained and any work to restore it won't be possible due to it's location next to the main road. I know there is great interest in the shop fronts and the slate roof and they should be maintained, can't see why they can't be relocated to the Folk Park in Bunratty where they could be protected correctly.

Brennans Row

muggles wrote: »

The "solution" apparently involves the demolition of a number of other buildings, including occupied homes and a business West Clare Flowers . . .

Why can’t they start the relief road / new bridge just before Linnane’s Undertakers as one enters the town?

See Google map.

Brennans Row

muggles wrote: »

. . . What the Council do not mention is that their "solution" involves knocking several other buildings to the ground - my flower shop together with our family home, the old post office (now social welfare office) and a family home on the Ennis road (these are elderly couple, both with disabilities who have had their home specially adapted and do not want to be forced out of their home).

Is the facebook poster referring to the post office building on Bogbere Street?

See Google map.

colm_mcm

Brennans Row wrote: »

Is the facebook poster referring to the post office building on Bogbere Street?

See Google map.

Yes. Flower shop is on the corner. A lot of shops have been there and closed.

muggles

Brennans Row wrote: »

Is the facebook poster referring to the post office building on Bogbere Street?

See Google map.

I think that's the spot Brennan's Row. From looking at google maps, that cream painted building adjoining the post office is where West Clare Flowers business is located.

colm_mcm

I wonder if the Armstead shop opposite the post office (which has a traditional shop front) will be knocked?

RoisinD

Was in Ennistymon this morning and also listened to Clare FM debate. This is far from over. There is a real anger in the town at the way this has been handled. It seems councillors had a briefing on Monday on the possible solutions and opted for the current proposal. What a shame no one thought to consult or inform those whose homes and businesses will be affected, until Tues evening. What a shabby and disrespectful way for all concerned to behave. One of the families affected are an elderly couple who are both disabled.
As has been pointed out there are 34 buildings listed in Ennistymon yet the concern is only for these 2. Save Ennistymon Heritage have never explained why this is.

haybob

Is the old forge listed ? I imagine that would have to go too

Brennans Row

colm_mcm wrote: »

I wonder if the Armstead shop opposite the post office (which has a traditional shop front) will be knocked?

haybob wrote: »

Is the old forge listed ? I imagine that would have to go too

Hopefully not!

Since we have yet to see a map with the proposed route, I roughly plotted a possible scenario in the attachment below.

Firstly, the “inner relief road” is proposed to start just 80 metres upstream from the bridge, which probably means at the carpark alongside the bakery?

Then the corner of Bogbere Street / Lahinch Road is to be realigned in order to accommodate the new bridge crossing?

In my opinion an “outer relief road” would be a better option.

For example, the old railway-line from the Ennis Road to Lahinch Road would have made an ideal route for such an “outer relief road”.

Alas, this is no longer possible as some houses have now been built on it.

funnyname

This will fail, why not have a full consultation (maybe a series of meetings) with the people of Ennistymon and find out what they want. They are also stakeholders and should be involved in this process.

Have they also considered the impact this will have on the safety of people going to Linanne's funeral home when they have a removal?



Also this will only solve traffic issues to and from the Ennis side of the town, what about traffic coming to/from the main street?


No doubt they'll want to build an inner ring road part 2 from the cannon's hill and suggest knocking the falls hotel.

Brennans Row

Clare CC proposes new route in Ennistymon (RTE News Clip)

Blake’s Corner Ennistymon - Online Poll (Clare People)

RoisinD

Petition here https://www.change.org/p/clare-county-council-move-back-blakes-corner-and-let-the-residents-of-ennistymon-remain-in-their-homes-and-businesses?recruiter=217585006&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=mob-xs-share_petition-reason_msg

There is also a public meeting in the Falls Hotel tomorrow evening (Fri) at 7.30pm for the community to show support and opposition to the current proposals



Mod Note: Permission has been granted for this petition. All links to petitions need to be approved by the forum mods/Admins.

Tom44

Its your town, you decide FULL STOP.

Don't just go for the only option the council provides, just because some planner say's so.

You now have the media on your side, use it.
It's your town. You decide.
All the best to all.
Tom.

Tychoo

Rat invested hole. Should be pulled down

colm_mcm

Tychoo wrote: »

Rat invested hole. Should be pulled down

Won't the rats lose out on their investment then? That's hardly fair.

Tychoo

My bad on the spelling. Was in The town a few months back didn't know anything about Blake's Corner at the time but thought the buildings were an eyesore and should be pulled down before they fall down. Can not see what benefit they are to the town. To me it looked like the town was in decline.

fryup

i wish the co co would stop pussy footing around

knock them down put in a roundabout, end of

SILVAMAN

For a country obsessed with health and safety issues, I'm amazed that this potential death trap has been tolerated. For me, no injury or loss of life is worth a derelict building.
Knock the fcukin things and let that be an end to it.

Tom44

3 year old tread.
40 year old problem.
Simple answer, get rid of cars or derelict buildings.
Tom.



It's not as if buildings have a pratical use. Get real CC. (County Councilers)
T.