The Mayo News

Over 10,000 join campaign to improve N17


Anton McNulty

OVER 10,000 people have joined a Facebook campaign calling for the improvement of the N17 road in memory of four girls who lost their lives on the road. 
Last November, the four young women were killed at a dangerous bend along the N17 known as Coyne’s Corner, just over the Galway border from Ballindine, when the car in which they were travelling collided with a truck. The dangerous bend is regarded as a black spot by locals who have been calling on the road to be aligned to prevent further fatalities.
The Facebook site, entitled ‘IMPROVE N17 Road! In memory of the girls in the terrible tragedy of Nov 09’, was created by Louise Concannon, a first cousin of Sarah Byrne (20) from Headford, who died in the accident. The other girls who died in the accident were Connemara girls Marie Stephanie Ní Conghaíle (19) from Rossaveal and Teresa Molloy from Leitir Mór and Sorcha Rose McLoughlin (19) from Wexford, whose parents hail from Achill.
The description of the site states: “In memory of the four girls who lost their lives on the N17 in November 2009. Even though it won’t bring Sarah, Marie, Theresa [Teresa] and Sorcha back to us, it may save another life if someone does something with the road! There had been several non-fatal accidents on the same stretch of road before this terrible tragedy even happened. But nothing was done to improve the road.”
In the short time that the site has been open, it has attracted 10,381 members, all of whom are calling on the Government and the NRA to improve the N17.
In light of the terrible tragedy, Claremorris councillor Richard Finn has submitted a motion to Mayo County Council calling on Galway County Council and the National Roads Authority to ‘stop dragging their feet’ and take immediate action to ensure that the section of the N17 between Milltown and Ballindine is brought up to a proper safety standard.
“People there are up in arms about the that road … The excuse given by Galway County Council and the NRA is that a new road is to be built. But how many more people will be killed before that road is built? The road needs to be realigned and markings put in place to warn motorists. It is now time Galway County Council take this in hand and get the job done,” Cllr Finn said.

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