Mayo memories: Main Street ‘back road’ was a bone of contention in 1954

By Tom Gillespie

SEVENTY years ago (December 1954) a far-seeing member of Castlebar Urban Council proposed that the authority oversee the construction of a back road on the west side (Connaught Telegraph side) of Main Street.

However, the proposal, which never got off the ground, was described then ‘like a man standing on his head to read a newspaper upside-down or looking for an overhead railway'.

This was the view of Councillor Robert Kilkelly, a resident of the street, to the notice of motion tabled by Councillor Joe Chambers to have an accommodation road erected at Main Street, at a meeting of Castlebar Urban Council in December 1954.

Mr. Chas. Guthrie presided at the meeting and those present included Councillors Augustus Bourke, Chambers, Andy McTigue, S.J. McCormack, Kilkelly, Michael Heverin and Gussie Wynne, the Town Clerk, Mr. John J. Smyth, and Town Surveyor, Mr. John Joe McGowan.

Mr. Chambers’ notice of motion was: ‘Take notice that I, or some member for me, will move at the next meeting of Castlebar Urban Council that the Town Engineer report on the feasibility of constructing a rear access road to the houses and business premises on the west side of Main Street. The construction of this road becomes all the more necessary when it is considered that the traders on this side of Main Street are compelled to deposit their goods on Main Street, before taking them into their stores, thereby causing serious congestion of traffic.

'I further move that the council write to the Department of Local Government and inquire the amount of grant they are prepared to allocate in this case.

'Furthermore, the people of Main Street, who would be served by this road, should be contacted to see what contribution they are prepared to make.'

Mr. Chambers: As this matter was raised by me at the last meeting I do not propose to take up much time discussing it tonight. I would like the council engineer to go into the feasibility of erecting this road. Then the first thing to be done would be to contact the people residing there. I would like someone to second the proposal so that the engineer could go into it.

Mr. Wynne: I live on that street and I will second the proposal.

Mr. Chambers: The well-known town planner, Mr. Gibney, has provisions made for a road at the rear of these houses when he prepared the town planning scheme for the town.

Mr. McCormack: Are the people concerned in favour of the proposal and will they cooperate?

Mr. Chambers: With regard to that question I was to have more data for this council tonight but I did not get time to contact the people.

Mr. Kilkelly: Two members of this council, Mr. Wynne and I, reside on that street. I do not think that Mr. Chambers is conversant with the position at all. Eight people in that street have gardens extending to the river and consequently if a road was erected only these eight people would have access to it. The other people would have to get a right-of-way in order to gain access to it. Would the proposal be feasible? To me this resolution is like a man standing on his head to read a newspaper because the newspaper was upside-down.

There certainly is congestion in this street as a result of cars parking but it would be fantastic to spend money on a suggestion like this when it would only serve eight people.

I would be delighted if such a road could be built but it would be like building an overhead railway. I do not think it is feasible. I think it fantastic and was amazed to see it in the agenda.

Mr. Chambers: I thought there was going to be no waste of time over this notice of motion but this question of a ‘man standing on his head to read a newspaper upside-down’ is the most ridiculous thing ever heard.

The man who originally made this suggestion about the access road at Main Street was one of the finest town planners in the country, Mr. Gibney. He must have considered it very feasible when he included it in his plan.

It is a most regrettable thing to see you, Mr. Kilkelly, and the other traders having to dump stuff on Main Street before you can have it taken in to your store.

Take the case of Mr. Thomas Durcan, one of the biggest merchants in town. He has to dump coal on the street before he can take it into his store.

I have not mentioned anything about the cost of the scheme and I think it unfair of Mr. Kilkelly to try to say it will cost thousands of pounds. There are many people anxious that this road to erected and they will be here at the next meeting when this notice of motion comes up again. I tabled this motion because I was asked to do so by the traders of that street. Would it suit you if you had a back road?

Mr. Wynne: It would.

Mr. Kilkelly: Mr. Chambers mentioned something about I referring to a sum of money. I did not mention the cost but I do know that it will cost money and a substantial sum of money. I do not know that the people in Main Street will be able to pay the cost.

Mr. Chambers: We can discuss that when it comes up again.

Mr. Kilkelly: It is on the agenda now and I think we should deal with it.

Mr. Chambers: It will come up at the next meeting.

Mr. Kilkelly: I think it is a complete waste of time.

Mr. Smyth (Town Clerk): If we have no definite intention of building this proposed road I think that we should not involve any costs at this stage. It will cost money to have a survey carried out.

Mr. Wynne: I think we should go down and see it.

Mr. Chambers: The people in Main Street want it but this council will not put any money on the rates because it would be unfair seeing that it will be purely an accommodation road for the people residing there. There are a lot of people interested in it.

Mr. McCormack: Will we get cooperation from the people when portions of their gardens are required for the road?

Mr. Kilkelly: I would be delighted if such a road was built but I think it would be utterly impossible.

Mr. Chambers: Before the engineer goes into the mater I think we will let it stand until the next meeting when we will get the views of the people who have asked for the road and who will come to the next meeting.

It was agreed to adjourn the matter until the next meeting.

In more recent years the rear gardens on both sides of Main Street were acquired and today provide vital parking for locals and visitors to Castlebar.