New bridge to open next week

May 22 date for the ‘Brian Ború’ crossing

‘It's been a long road but we got there.”

So said local councillor Phyll Bugler at this week's meeting of Tipperary Co Council after it was confirmed that the new bridge between Ballina and Killaloe will open on Thursday of next week, May 22.

Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien is to officially open the new structure at 3pm. The opening will bring to a close a decades-long campaign to build a new Shannon crossing in the area, now realised in a project that includes a bypass of Killaloe and upgrade of the R494 Ballina-Birdhill road, as well as the bridge. Including land acquisition, it is understood that the total cost of the project amounted to over €80 million.

The bridge is to be named after Brian Ború. Senior Roads Engineer Kieran Malone told this week's meeting that the local authorities in Tipperary and Clare had discussed the naming with historical groups. There was consensus that the structure should be named after the High King of Ireland, who came from Killaloe.

Cllr Bugler believed this to be a fitting name for the bridge, which would highlight the area's importance as capital of Ireland during Ború's time. She mentioned past calls to promote the locality as Ború's birthplace, including the erection of a statue in his honour.

Praising all involved in the Shannon crossing project over the years, Cllr Bugler pointed out that the scheme had delivered not only a new bridge but also 6.2km of new roadway. She wanted to thank the people of Ballina and Killaloe for their patience in a campaign for a new bridge that began some 40 years ago.

‘A FANTASTIC DAY’

Local TD Alan Kelly played a key role in bringing the Shannon crossing project to fruition. He expressed his delight that the new bridge is now finally set to open.

“I’ve been waiting for this day for decades,” Deputy Kelly stated this week. “I made it one of my main local political priorities when I entered politics in 2007 to get this bridge built. It will be transformative for the local area both socially and economically.

“When I was minister, I pushed this project immensely and finally ensured that it was out in the National Development Plan in 2015. This is what ensured that the project was commenced and had to be built.

“I want to thank the officials in the Department of Transport who worked on this with me for years. Many of them have retired since. I also want to acknowledge the work of Tipperary and Clare County Councils, councillors from both sides of the bridge, the contractors SISK, and of course the local community, who put up with so much disruption over the years.

“This is going to be a fantastic day and one I’ve been looking forward to all my political career, and the bridge opening is something I’m immensely proud of,” Deputy Kelly concluded.

MAINTENANCE

Cllr John Carroll joined in welcoming the opening date for the new bridge. He told this week’s meeting of Tipperary Co Council that the infrastructure would enhance tourism and the economy on both sides of the Shannon, and he praised the spirit of co-operation between Tipperary and Clare.

Director of Services Liam Brett said May 22 would be a “momentous day” for all involved in the project. Years of hard work have come to fruition, he said.

Cllr Bugler said there would still be the question of maintaining the new scheme. In particular, she wanted to know which entity would fund maintenance of green spaces along the scheme.

Mr Brett replied that this would be a local authority function. “We are getting more infrastructure but we are not getting more maintenance monies,” he said, during a lengthy debate in which concern was raised over the council’s roads funding against a backdrop of rising inflation.