Call to name greenway after TD Joe

The memory of a former minister for agriculture – who was described as ‘a colossus’ – is to be honoured in Clonakilty.

Cllr Christopher O’Sullivan (FF) has called for the new greenway walking route from Clonakilty town to the Technology Park to be named after the late Joe Walsh.

With the project nearing completion, Cllr O’Sullivan said he believes it would be appropriate to name it after the former Fianna Fáil TD for Cork South West because he was instrumental in delivering the Technology Park – an enterprise centre that is currently providing employment for 1,000 people.

Attempts to honour the memory of Joe Walsh – who was lauded for his handling of the country’s Foot and Mouth crisis in 2001– were shot down in 2014 when Transport Infrastructure Ireland told the Council members they could not rename the Faxsbridge Roundabout after the former TD.

But with the greenway project being a Council initiative, and Council-funded, Cllr O’Sullivan said it should be up to the Council to name it.

‘A man of his stature, and all that he did for West Cork, especially Clonakilty, should be honoured,’ Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Joe Carroll said in agreement with proposal, which was made at a meeting of the West Cork Municipal District.

It was Cllr John O’Sullivan – a Fine Gael public representative – who described Joe Walsh as ‘a colossus’ and he described the value of the 1,000 jobs at the Technology Park as being ‘immeasurable to Clonakilty.’

Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind) said people will be proud to walk the greenway and follow in his footsteps.’