Council stops short of restoring ‘iconic’ signpost

THE members of Clare County Council last night stopped short of restoring the ‘iconic’ Ballyvaughan tourist sign in spite of impassioned pleas from councillors.

At a special council meeting at Knappogue Castle yesterday, councillors agreed that a number of signs be put on the signpost at the t-junction in the Burren coastal village, but stopped short of demanding that all of the signs be restored.

Acting director of service, Nora Kaye, conceded that no councillors were consulted prior to the signs being removed by contractors for the National Roads Authority (NRA) and council staff.

County Manager, Tom Coughlan, said the issue around restoring the iconic sign was based on road safety.

Mr Coughlan said the council is open to locating the sign somewhere safe and it could become a tourist attraction. He said: “People could safely go and have their photo taken in front of it.”

However, Cllr Brian Meaney (Green) said the action to remove the signs was the nuclear option and represented “turning Ireland into some bland theme park”.

He told the meeting: “We have been presented with no record of any collisions or injuries at the location. We have no assessment of the likelihood of accidents occurring at this junction brought about by the sign.”

Mr Meaney said “official Ireland is risk averse” adding that “I thought Ireland was 40 shades of green, but actions like this make it one shade of beige”.

A number of councillors tabled a motion that signs for Fanore, the Cliffs of Moher via the coast road, be erected on the sign post and Mr Coughlan pointed out that some of these signs have already been erected.

Mr Meaney said the issue should revert to the north Clare councillors for further discussion and the meeting agreed.