Traffic calming plans for Béal na Bláth site

Plans for traffic calming measures at the Michael Collins memorial at Béal na Bláth – which will form part of an overall enhancement of the site ahead of the centenary this year – are currently on public display.

As detailed in The Southern Star last month, plans are in place to make the site ‘more visitor friendly’, which will see road and parking improvements as well as a decluttering of the site, where General Collins was shot on August 22nd 1922.

Cork County Council currently has the plans, under Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act, on public display, with the deadline for submissions to be made by January 28th.

According to the Council’s public notice, the works will include the road realignment and reduction of the carriageway width, as well a new footpath and enhancement works to access the memorial. There will also be associated ‘hard and soft landscape build-out’, a renewal of road surface markings and all associated works.

Drawings and particulars of the proposed project are available for inspection on the Cork County Council website or from the Macroom Municipal District Office until Friday January 14th. Submissions regarding the proposal  may be made in writing to the senior executive engineer in the Macroom Municipal District office on or before 5pm on Friday January 28th.

Chairperson of the Michael Collins commemoration committee, Garret Kelleher, recently told The Southern Star that they wholeheartedly welcomed the planned improvements to the site, which will make it ‘a lot more visitor and disability friendly.’

‘We are very grateful to Cork County Council for their regular consultation with us and also to the government and the Council for committing the funding required to finance the project,’ he said, adding: ‘We look forward to the completion of the work and to welcoming many visitors to Béal na Bláth this year.’