Footpaths to graveyard and GAA club on the way for Offaly village

Footpaths to the local graveyard and the local GAA club are on the way for an Offaly village.

The new area engineer Brian Keenaghan, during the June monthly meeting of Birr Municipal District, gave the councillors an update on the first phase of the new path in Rath which will run from Rath to the Cemetery, for 300 metres, costing €200,000.

Phase 2 will run from Rath to the GAA Grounds (600 metres) and from Rath to Grennan's (240 metres). Construction of the first phase will start in July. Construction of phase 2 will probably start next year.

Cllr John Leahy congratulated the new Engineer on being a hard worker and for providing “a great update during today's meeting of all the works going on at the moment. Being the Road Engineer is a very big job requiring a lot of time and energy.”

Cllr Leahy said the Active Travel Scheme is funding the paths, which will be “significant improvements to Rath, which will be warmly welcomed by the people there. They have a hardworking committee headed by Kevin Kinsella. There's great enthusiasm in the committee and they will be glad to see this project improving safety on the approach roads to Rath.”

Cllr John Leahy commended the ESB fund which is given to the Council to carry out essential works. He said Bord na Móna should do the same.

The Engineer outlined the ESB Fund for West Offaly Villages (total fund available: €500,000), which was as follows: Shannonbridge: Works almost complete – relocation of fibre optic cables and three Eir poles outstanding – to be completed in Q3 / Q4, dependent on Eir. High Street: Footpath and public lighting from school to church. Works ongoing by OCC staff. Shannon Harbour: tree surgery, line marking, signage updates. Works to commence Q3/Q4. Clonmacnoise – tree surgery and landscaping at junction with R444. Works to commence Q3/Q4. Belmont – footpath from Beechgrove towards crossroads. Works to commence Q3/Q4. Moystown – line marking and signage on approach from Shannonbridge. Works to commence Q3/Q4. Clonfanlough – Contribution towards Community Centre Roof works.

The Engineer told the meeting that the Road Restoration Maintenance Programme in Birr Municipal District is 31% complete with 11.5km surface dressed. “The Restoration Improvement Programme is 27% complete with 8.3km recycled and surface dressed. The surface dressing was carried out by the Birr MD staff and will be complete by the end of June, weather permitting.”