During the height of last summer the residents of one of Castleisland’s oldest streets sent out a plea for help with the speed and volume of traffic passing their doors.
Barrack Street residents got a promise that their situation would be examined by a Kerry County Council roads design team.
The team had, as one of its tasks, to carry out a check to see if traffic calming measures would help the situation in the area.
Old Road to Cork
The street once served as the old road to Cork and locals say that the great liberator himself, Daniel O’Connell would have crossed the little bridge over the River Maine many times in both directions in the course his travels.
The road out through Church Street took over the Cork traffic under the road building campaign of engineer, Richard Griffith in the late 1820s. And Church Street is still often referred to locally as
Barrack Street Residents
Enter Cllr. Bobby O’Connell who asked then Kerry County Council engineer, Breda Mulryan to meet with a representative group of Barrack Street residents.
She did and she got the views of the locals on a range of concerning issues for them.
Fears and Feelings
Retired Garda, Jim Lordan summed up the fears and feelings of the residents there when he said that many of the people living along the street are not as fleet of foot as they once were.
Mr. Lordan also said that the speed and volume of traffic now using the street has increased the danger levels for residents.
Crossing an Ordeal
“Even crossing the street there is becoming an ordeal at present for a lot of the residents,” he said.
Road markings, including parking restriction lines, have been laid down recently. However, the resident feel the need for measures that will slow down the through traffic now using their once quiet street.
Route to Busy Stores
The increase in traffic there is mainly due to the fact that it leads to and from three busy stores: Garvey’s SuperValu; Aldi and Browne’s Agri.
Barrack Street can also be used to get to Tangney’s Funeral Home; the local parish church, St. Joseph’s Presentation Girls’ Secondary School and Castleisland Community College.
Cllr. O’Connell joined with the residents in a call for the council’s road design team to take a look at the street and put something in place that can’t be ignored by drivers.
Worry of Crossing the Street
“Road markings are fine and necessary but we need to have something that makes it easier for the residents to cross the street and to take the worry out of it,” said Cllr. O’Connell at the time.
The update, however is less that satisfactory for the residents.
Numerous Motions
A recent motion by Cllr. O’Connell asked Kerry County Council to explain why, after numerous motions and two deputations of residents, absolutely nothing has been done to combat speeding traffic of to put traffic calming measures in place on Barrack Street.
The reply he got will bring no solace to the residents of Barrack Street:
A Speed Survey
“Kerry County Council carried out improvements to lining and road markings on this street in 2017. Kerry county Council also carried out a ‘Speed Survey’ which did not indicate a need for traffic calming measures.
The municipal district engineer is agreeable to meet Cllr. O’Connell at this location to review his concerns.
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