A posthumous appeal to have the speed limit at a section of the road in Ballylickey reduced from 80kmph to 60kmph has been granted, writes Jackie Keogh.

The name of the late Fianna Fáil councillor, Patrick Gerard Murphy, who died in September, was invoked at a meeting of the West Cork Municipal District because it was he, together with Cllr Danny Collins (Ind Ire) who successful appealed the decision made by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

Council executive Paul Sutton confirmed that the section of roadway, which was an 80 zone between two 60kmph zones, would be reduced.

It was in January 2024 that Cllrs Murphy and Collins applied to have the speed limit reduced. Mr Sutton said: ‘It has taken until now, but TII has given the go ahead to change the speed limit.’

The decision must also be presented at a full meeting of Cork County Council, but for now it just needed a proposer and a seconder at the West Cork Municipal District level.

Cllr Collins proposed it be adopted and the municipal district chairperson Cllr Caroline Cronin (FG) seconded the proposal.

Cllr Danny Collins summed up how difficult it was for people driving that route: ‘It was a bit like being in a rally in that you’d need a co-driver, someone to tell you: “Down 60, up 80, down 60”.’

There isn’t a meeting that goes by without someone mentioning Patrick Gerard and Cllr Collins spoke about him saying: ‘At least we won this battle. Patrick Gerard Murphy is still looking down on us, and working for us.’