Pensioners’ home no longer required for road

A late reprieve has been granted to stop the bulldozing of a disabled elderly couple’s home to make way for a new road.

The property owned by 77-year-old pensioner Judith O’Donoghue and her disabled husband, Peter, is not now required for a planned new route in Ennistymon, Co Clare.

The local authority, in a statement yesterday, confirmed the relevant land acquisition had been removed from the road proposal and an alternative route identified.

Mr O’Donoghue, at home yesterday, said: “This is very encouraging and gives fresh hope to us, but I’m a little bit like St Thomas — seeing is believing — and until I see it in writing to us, I won’t believe it is true.”

Just over a month ago, county council representatives called to the O’Donoghue’s home to advise the couple the property would be required to facilitate the construction of a road, for hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting the nearby Cliffs of Moher and Lahinch.

Mrs O’Donoghue, who requires a scooter to be mobile outside her home, said yesterday: “The last month has been very, very, stressful. At our age, I couldn’t face moving. The response we got from the local community and beyond has been fantastic.”

Her husband, Peter, also 77, is paralysed as a result of a stroke in 2004. His wife said: “He has been bewildered by it all”.

However, the council’s new road plan still contains a proposal to demolish the home and business owned by the O’Donoghues’ neighbours, the Clancy family. Mrs O’Donoghue said: “I feel very bad that the Clancys still face the prospect of losing their home. They are a young family and it is completely unnecessary.”

She said the council should instead proceed with the other option of knocking down what she called a local eyesore — the listed building known as Blake’s Corner.

The Clancys live across the road from the O’Donoghues and Sheena Clancy, who also operates a flower shop at the location said yesterday: “I’m delighted the O’Donoghues have now been left out. The council told us about this at a meeting.

She added: “But what the council is now proposing is worse as they have been able to leave out the O’Donoghues by putting a bend in the bridge. This only supports the idea that the council should knock and set back Blake’s Corner. Our future here is still very much up in the air.”

Ms Clancy said that council chief executive Tom Coughlan apologised to the residents for the way in which they were informed of the road plan last month.

The councilsaid it “will continue to engage with any parties that may be affected by the recommended route option which will be finalised after appropriate assessment and strategic environmental assessments have been undertaken on the finalised proposal”.