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Galway Advertiser 1998/1998_07_23/GA_23071998_E1_018.pdf
Comment & Letters
W t h g t e p nes Attack of Roadzilla ac i h u t r n w t hn t e h r e : ac i g h os s It's G l a Rcs a y ae w
Dear Editor,
A l t h o u g h t h e w e a t h e r w o u l d f o o l y o u , i t is a l w a y s easy t o reach t e l l w h e n s u m m e r has a r r i v e d b e c a u s e i t is o n l y d u r i n g t h i s sorted themselves out eventually. p a r t i c u l a r season - e s p e c i a l l y at t h e v e r y h e i g h t o f i t - t h a t maximum annoyance to the maximum number T h e y (a m a n y - h e a d e d c r e a t u r e c h a r g e d w i t h j u s t o n e m i s s i o n : m o t o r i s t s ) start t o tear u p t h e r o a d s , e r e c t b a r r i e r s t o c o n f i n e cause of t h e h e a v i e s t t r a f f i c G a l w a y gets a l l y e a r t o a s i n g l e l a n e , l e a v e l o n g c e m e n t p i p e s s t r e w n a b o u t a n y a v a i l a b l e spaces, a n d park enormous diggers and/or earth-moving machines on the Hall Corner? v e r y busiest r o a d w a y s . A h , s u m m e r t i m e a n d the m i x e r s are churning. h u n d r e d s o f m o t o r i s t s are t h i n k i n g right T h i s y e a r , h o w e v e r , T h e y h a v e really s u r p a s s e d a l l p r e v i o u s performances. A f t e r erecting a virtual forest o f traffic lights and painted new traffic lines....They then decide to w a i t over a w e e k b e f o r e t u r n i n g the l i g h t s o n . T h e n , w i t h o u t a n y w a r n T h e r e are f e w finer l o o k i n g c r e a t u r e s t h a n a r e a l l y h a n d s o m e h o r s e . A n d t h e r e are f e w finer j u d g e s o f g o o d h o r s e f l e s h t h a n a n I r i s h m a n . W h a t e v e r i t s o r i g i n , t h e a b o u t us as a k i n d o f e a r l y Irish have a very ancient k i n s h i p w i t h the horse. O n e o f the earliest ' f o r e i g n e r s ' to w r i t e 'tourist' was Gerald o f Wales, and he w r o t e i n his ritual marriage b e t w e e n a horse a n d the T o p o g r a p h i a H i b e r n i a that part o f the c e r e m o n y b y w h i c h the k i n g s o f Ulster suc ceeded to the c h i e f t a i n s h i p i n v o l v e d a prospective m o n a r c h . W h i l e w e feel that this was c a r r y i n g things a b i t t o o far, there is n o d o u b t t h a t i t attests t o a n u n u s u a l l y k e e n a p p r e c i a t i o n o f t h e p a r t i c u l a r q u a l i t i e s o f our four-footed fellows. T h e r e are, w e believe, archaeologists w h o swear that o n c e u p o n a t i m e w e I r i s h actually w o r s h i p p e d the horse. T h i s little b i t o f i n f o r m a t i o n w e declare to be not only entirely reasonable but also evidence o f our forebears keen nose f o r a profit. There mantled ancestors is a l s o c o n s i d e r a b l e e v i d e n c e , s h o u l d a n a n t h r o p o l o g i s t c h o o s e t o f o l l o w i t u p , t h a t this religious awe i n w h i c h o u r hoary-headed, v o l u m i n o u s l y m i c s h a p p e n t o read these reflections regarded the elegant equines c o n t i n u e s t o this v e r y day. A n d i f any o f these acade before next M o n d a y , w e urge them to trot, u n s h o d o r s h o e d , o u t t o B a l l y b r i t a n d find t h e m s e l v e s a c o n v e n i e n t v a n t a g e p o i n t . F o r n e x t w e e k i n G a l w a y t h e s a c r e d rites o f h o r s e - w o r s h i p reign s u p r e m e . i n g , t h e l i g h t s s u d d e n l y are s w i t c h e d o n . T h e r e s u l t ? T o t a l chaos. T h i s , a w e e k before G a l w a y Races, w h e n more people are d r i v i n g i n a n d a r o u n d G a l w a y c i t y t h a n at any other t i m e o f t h e year. P e r h a p s i t is e x p e c t i n g t o o m u c h , b u t w h y w a s t h e r e n o t h i n g i n any o f the local newspapers a n n o u n c i n g the i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f this daft n e w system? W h y w e r e n o t scale m a p s p r o v i d e d so as t o s h o w h o w t h e l i g h t s w e r e t o f u n c t i o n , a n d h o w the traffic was to f l o w ? B u t m o r e importantly: w h y was this n e w system introduced i n the first place? T h e traffic congestion before the traffic l i g h t f o r e s t a p p e a r e d w a s n e v e r as b a d as i t h a s n o w b e c o m e . I n supposed to w o r k ? they were intended to do. and those responsible pelted w i t h out o f date tax discs. W e p a i d f o r this? Yours, Robert O'Hara Moycullen
fact, d e l a y s - a l t h o u g h , l i k e any delay w h e n y o u ' r e t r y i n g to y o u r d e s t i n a t i o n , i r r i t a t i n g - w e r e n e v e r so b a d t h a t they
N o w w i t h this crazy system, the delays have crossed over
i n t o a n e w d i m e n s i o n . F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e c h a o s w i l l increase, m a i n l y b e c a u s e o f the t r a f f i c l i g h t at t h e c o r n e r o f t h e T o w n H a l l T h e a t r e a n d t h e t o p o f E g l i n t o n S t r e e t . W o u l d i t n o t be a
s e n s i b l e t h i n g , i f t h i s m a d s y s t e m is h e r e t o stay, t o at least t r y t o s y n c h r o n i s e the l i g h t s at the H e a d f o r d R o a d a n d t h e T o w n
A s i m p l e request, w h i c h I a m certain puts i n t o w o r d s what n o w - c o u l d those
r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e n e w s y s t e m e x p l a i n w h y i t has b e e n i n t r o
d u c e d ? A n d c o u l d t h e y t h e n e x p l a i n h o w t h e d a m n t h i n g is
G o i n g t h r o u g h the m a z e the other evening, I was reminded o f scenes f r o m t h o s e s i l e n t K e y s t o n e C o p s m o v i e s a n d I w a s i n c l i n e d t o l a u g h . B u t t h e n I s a w w h a t w a s n e a r l y a v e r y nasty accident b e t w e e n t w o cars, neither o f w h i c h c o u l d be h e l d to b l a m e as i t w a s o b v i o u s n e i t h e r h a d t h e s l i g h t e s t i d e a w h a t
T h e H e a d f o r d R o a d r o u n d a b o u t is n o t f u n n y . I t ' s p a t h e t i c , s h o u l d b e t i e d t o t h e t r a f f i c p o l e s and
Fear and loathing on the
Magic Roundabout from Hell
Dear Editor,
P i c t u r e t h e scene i n G a l w a y c i t y : a d i z z y i n g a r r a y o f w e i r d gether m o r e bizarre, entertaining and scary experience. T h i s i s t h e M a g i c R o u n d a b o u t f r o m H e l l a n d i t is t o p - n o t c h stuff: designed b y M a u r i t s Escher, l i t b y M r B e a n , choreo graphed b y M a d M a x , directed by...by w h o m ? W h o can claim t h e c r e d i t f o r t h i s s p e c t a c u l a r p i e c e o f street t h e a t r e ? A n d w h e n c a n w e e x p e c t t h e first real b l o o d s h e d ? l y f l a s h i n g l i g h t s ; r n i n d - b o g g l i n g a n d f r i g h t f u l i l l u s i o n s ; a" m u l t i t u d e o f vehicles large and s m a l l v e e r i n g a r o u n d i n a c o n f i n e d space. chaotically W e l c o m e to the Circus o f Horrors. N o , f o r g e t t h a t t a m e l i t t l e s h o w o f t h e s a m e n a m e at t h e G a l w a y A r t s Festival, w i t h its fake gore a n d d e f r o c k e d ' n u n s ' . T h i s is the m a i n roundabout o n the H e a d f o r d R o a d , an a l t o
The people's races
G a l w a y races is u n q u e s t i o n a b l y a n d u n c h a l l e n g e a b l y t h e m o s t p o p u l a r r a c i n g event i n the I r i s h calendar. E v e r since i t began last c e n t u r y i t has g a i n e d the reputa t i o n o f b e i n g 'the people's races', the one meet i n the year to w h i c h e v e n the n o r m a l l y p r u d e n t c o u n t r y m a n o r c o u n t r y w o m a n t r a v e l s , a w a d o f fivers i n h a n d , r e a d y - nay, eager - to place t h e m - m e t a p h o r i c a l l y , o f course - o n the slender b a c k o f o n e o f t h e h a n d s o m e beasts that w i l l b e d i s p l a y i n g t h e i r f o r m a l l n e x t w e e k at G a l w a y Races. W o r s h i p , d i d I s a y ? N o t h i n g less c a n a c c o u n t f o r t h e f e r v e n t p r a y e r s t h a t a c c o m p a n y e a c h g r o u p o f f o u r - f o o t e d f i l l i e s as t h e y r a c e f r o m t h e s t a r t i n g g a t e a n d t e a r r o u n d the course. C o u l d there be any other explanation f o r the v i o l e n t i m p r e c a t i o n s d i s a p p o i n t e d d e v o t e e s c a l l d o w n o n t h e i r heads w h e n t h e p a r t i c u l a r h o r s e t h e y w o r s h i p h a s refused t o g r a n t t h e i r p r a y e r s f o r success? A n d d o e s a n y t h i n g , a p a r t f r o m a Papal M a s s , c o m p a r e i n the slightest w i t h the tears and ecstatic hallelujahs w h i c h v i c t o r y is w e l c o m e d ? with
Richard 'Citizen' Keane, TireUan Heights.
Yes, that's perfectly correct...
Dear Editor, I guess m y c o m m e n t about the n e w traffic light system i n the shopping cen tre roundabout w i l l be one a m o n g a l o t I cannot understand the w h o l e point o f h a v i n g this n e w system. I f the a i m is t o ease t h e t r a f f i c , t h e n i t is a f a i l u r e . T h e t r a f f i c has b e c o m e w o r s e since t h i s s y s t e m has b e e n p u t i n t o o p e r a t i o n . T h e r e are, I t h i n k , t w o p r o b l e m s : firstly, H e r e is a n o t h e r e x a m p l e o f t h e d a n g e r o u s c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t h i s n e w sys tem: bridge waited people turning around after on the l i g h t s s t a y g r e e n f o r a r o u n d 30 s e c o n d s , a l l o w i n g j u s t a f e w cars to g o t h r o u g h each time. It results i n a large queue b u i l d i n g u p at each e n t r y p o i n t o f the r o u n d a b o u t T h e s e c o n d p r o b l e m is t h e fact that motorists d o n o t k n o w h o w to use this new system, w h e t h e r t o stop or n o t i n the m i d d l e o f the the roundabout, w h e t h e r they s h o u l d g o i f there are some f r e e spaces o n t h e r o u n d a b o u t a n d t h e tight is s t i l l g r e e n . I s a w a l l k i n d s of things yesterday, and s o m e use o f the n e w s y s t e m . accidents dual carriageway for too long having was (and this
S u n d a y a f t e r n o o n w h e n t h e t r a f f i c was n o t e v e n v e r y dense!). T h i s n e w system is v e r y d a n g e r o u s . L e t ' s c o m e b a c k to t h e n o t so i d e a l , b u t m o r e e f f i c i e n t o l d system.
Celebrated by poets
D o w n t h r o u g h t h e y e a r s G a l w a y races h a s b e e n c e l e b r a t e d i n p o e t r y a n d p r o s e . A m o n g t h e finest a p p r e c i a t i o n s t h e e v e n t h a s e l i c i t e d i s t h e m a r v e l l o u s l y r i c b y Y e a t s called, appropriately. A t G a l w a y Races: " T h e r e where the course is. D e l i g h t makes all o f one m i n d . T h e riders u p o n the g a l l o p i n g horses. T h e c r o w d that closes i n b e h i n d "
C o m i n g f r o m the west side o f
t o w n (over the n e w bridge), the queue i n t h e m o r n i n g c a n r e a c h 30 m i n u t e s w h e n it was taking only 3 to 5 minutes before. T h e same t h i n g happens w h e n c o m i n g f r o m the H e a d f o r d Road roundabout.
Kindest regards, Gwenn Rio, Maigh Cuelenn
c o u l d very easily result f r o m this bad
Whafs it all about, anyhow?THIS WEEK...
i n w h i c h he not o n l y captures the special
P e r h a p s t h e c l a s s i c a c c o u n t is t h a t g i v e n b y I r i s h w r i t e r R o b e r t L y n d i n h i s w o n derfully evocative
Galway of the Races
atmosphere o f the races b u t a l s o the f l a v o u r o f o l d G a l w a y itself. B u t w h a t he says o f t h e r a c e s w i l l b e r e c o g n i s e d b y a n y o n e w h o ' s e v e r s t o o d c l o s e t o t h e f e n c e as t h e h o r s e s t h u n d e r r o u n d t h e c o u r s e . " I l o v e d t h e b e a t i n g o f the g r o u n d u n d e r t h e i r h o o f s as t h e y s w e p t past f r o m t h e s t a r t i n g - p l a c e . " A n d this year, j u s t i n t i m e f o r the b i g w e e k , another o l d G a l w e g i a n , D i c k B y r n e , has p u b l i s h e d his n o v e l
Home for the Races,
w h i c h gives us a p i c t u r e o f G a l w a y i n
the late 50s that w i l l i m m e d i a t e l y strike h o m e t o anyone w h o remembers the t o w n b a c k t h e n . A n d t h e c e n t r e o f t h e b o o k is t h e a u t h o r ' s a c c o u n t o f t h e G a l w a y races i n all its rich and u n r i v a l l e d glory. A h , w e c o u l d g o o n a n d o n . There's something so quintessentially ' G a l w a y ' about this t i m e o f the year. I f y o u ' r e already f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e m , then y o u d o n ' t need me t o t e l l y o u w h e r e t o spend y o u r t i m e n e x t w e e k , a n d i f y o u a r e n ' t . , w e l l , a l l w e c a n say is, you're looking at a winner.
Dear Editor, I wonder if you can offer an insight into the new traf fic lights on tile Headford Road? What do you think is their purpose? To frustrate traffic across the bridge? (The hold ups this morning were unprecedented.) To confuse drivers who now wonder exactly where on the round about they arc supposed to stop? To provide quiz ques tions such as 'Is this red traffic light for you or for another entrance? (It's a l w a y s for another entrance
- obviously effective traffic light 'blinkers' are unknown to the designers of this fine roundabout) If you could explain the lane markings to me I'd appreciate it. I'm not espe cially interested in the sig nificance of the lane which comes out of the kerb of the roundabout on the Omni pie side! Seriously, what is being done to put right the many problems which this round about has? Do we have to wait for an accident? Sincerely frustrated driver
More letters continued on page 25