Bid to name a Kenmare road after Jackie Healy-Rae fails

A road in Kenmare, Co Kerry, is to be dedicated to ex-Fine Gael TD and county councillor Pat O’Connor-Scarteen, a native of the area.

This was decided on a 23 to five vote at a Kerry County Council meeting yesterday, which heard that the local municipal authority had agreed by majority last November to honour Mr O’Connor-Scarteen, who died in 1989.

A counter motion by Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae, to have the inner relief road named after his grandfather, the recently deceased Independent TD, Jackie Healy-Rae, was defeated.

Danny Healy-Rae and the late Mr O’Connor-Scarteen’s grandson, Patrick O’Connor-Scarteen, are both current members of the council.

Johnny Healy-Rae said yesterday that while he had the highest regard for the O’Connor-Scarteen family, he proposed that the people of Kenmare be consulted before a decision on naming the road was made.

“I don’t believe the way the council is going about this is responsible, or adequate. Many people in Kenmare have told me they would like to have a say in this.”

He was supported by Sinn Féin’s Toireasa Ferris, who said, in future, there should be public consultations prior to such namings.

However, South Kerry Independent Alliance councillor Michael Gleeson had the backing of others when he said that the council should respect the democratic decision of the municipal authority.

Danny Healy-Rae said that he was disappointed, late last year, when he could not tell his father — who was lying in a hospital bed — that a road had been named after him.

Nevertheless, he said, Jackie Healy-Rae would be long remembered — even if a road in his own area was not dedicated to him.