THE Adare/Rathkeale district should do things ‘The Kevin Sheahan Way’.
That’s according to one West Limerick representative has put the notion out there of naming the Blackabbey Road in Adare after a former colleague in the district.
The Kevin Sheahan Way was the suggestion from Fine Gael councillor Adam Teskey at last month’s Adare-Rathkeale district meeting during a discussion on the Blackabbey Road project.
The scheme consists of approximately one kilometre of shared cycle and pedestrian path along the L1422 to link Adare village, via existing lanes, which will be subject to separate upgrades, to the existing local estates and sports facilities.
It is intended to increase opportunities for modal shift, providing a safe and attractive network for cyclist commuters, which former Fianna Fáil councillor Kevin Sheahan has long been campaigning for throughout his political life.
The scheme is advanced in preliminary design and environmental assessments are currently being completed.
The Limerick Post met with Cllr Teskey and former Limerick mayor Kevin Sheahan on-site in Adare to hear their thoughts on renaming the road.
“We had a lovely crown of tourist attractions in West Limerick and the golden gem on top of the crown was Adare. I was always promoting the best of Adare, even though it was not in my area, and I always love it there. I have great friends in Adare, and Sean Heffernan asked me, ‘would you be able to do something about a footpath in the interest of safety’. I said, ‘Sean, it’s interesting you say it, because when I’m going to Adare, I use that road, and it frightens me’,” Mr Sheahan recalls.
“At the same time, it’s great to see young people coming out from Adare village with their hurleys and their balls, but they have no footpath. They’re out in the middle of the road, and you go round the bend, and you’re afraid of your life there will be one of them on your bonnet. Children are innocent, and we need a footpath and proper lighting there.”
When Adare later became part of Sheahan’s electoral area, he continued to raise the need for a footpath on Blackabbey Road. Since his retirement after the last council, the 80-year-old Askeaton man passed the baton onto Fine Gael councillor Adam Teskey to continue the good fight.
“The Ryder Cup is bringing a reinforced focus on Adare and there seems to be more investment now being given to the village for improvements on the run up to the tournament. It is envisaged that it wouldn’t be in place until after the Ryder Cup, with the timeframes, but the Active Travel team within Limerick City and County Council have identified it and have now accepted that it is needed,” Cllr Teskey explains.
I ask Cllr Teskey if he was serious about the suggestion of naming the scheme The Kevin Sheahan Way.
“I remember the time when Kevin Sheahan was an elected councillor, and he brought in a petition into our local district, and he was the man that that proposed this. I will tell the truth, it was Kevin’s idea, and this torch would not have been lit without him,” Cllr Teskey insists.
“It was Kevin that brought up this notion of getting the footpath extended to the GAA club, and it was one that I fully supported at the time, because it makes sense. Adare is a growing village and we have to create that infrastructure.
“I was very saddened and disheartened to hear some councillors saying ‘over my dead body’ when I suggested this. I’m serious in so far as I think Kevin should have an input into the naming of it.”
Sheahan himself thinks it would be a nice gesture if the Council consulted with Adare GAA and Sean Heffernan’s family on the naming, saying: “I think it would be lovely if, between Cllr Adam Teskey, together with the GAA and the Heffernan family, they would come up with a name that they think is suitable. What Kevin Sheahan thinks is suitable would not be appropriate.”