Secret ballot decides name of road – and it’s not Roady McRoadface

TEMPERS flared in the Gorey Municipal District council chambers last week over the naming of the new Inner Relief Road. In a somewhat unusual move, the matter had to be settled be secret ballot, something which not all members were happy about.

A number of submissions were received from the public in relation to the renaming of the road. Perhaps the one which gained the least amount of favour from the councillors, although it did generate a laugh or two, was Roady McRoadface or Botharach Mac Bothareadan.

While all of the councillors had a good laugh at the suggestion, particularly at the effort at an Irish translation, Cllr Anthony Donoghue used it as an example as to why these things can’t necessarily go to a public vote.

A total of ten suggestions were reviewed by the councillors including Nurse Dempsey Way - after a local midwife who delivered babies in the town over many years; Racefield Road - as a result of the road’s proximity to what is historically known as the Race Field; Kilmakillogue Way - after the name of the North Wexford Civil Parish; Caravaggio Road/ Bothar Caravaggio on the basis of Gorey’s link to the famous Caravaggio ‘The Taking of Christ’; Marie Lea-Wilson Road after the woman who donated the Harry Clarke windows to Christ Church and was notably one of the first female doctors in the country; and Willow Way/Road or Creagh Way/Road.

The two names which emerged as the frontrunners, however, were Bothar Diarmuid Ó’Súilleabháin and Scholars Walk or Slí na Scoláirí. There were several submissions in favour of Bothar Diarmuid Ó’Súilleabháin – a seminal figure in contemporary Irish literature. Slí na Scoláirí was suggested as the road is a walking route to four schools.

Cllr Mary Farrell was keen to point out that there had been more submissions in favour of Bothar Diarmuid Ó’Súilleabháin than any other, but was reminded by the District Manager that this was not a voting exercise and each submission should be taken on its merits. Cllr Fionntán Ó’Súilleabháin was adamant that Bothar Diarmuid Ó’Súilleabháin was the obvious choice as it was relevant and had public support.

Cllr Mary Farrell proposed Bothar Diarmuid Ó’Súilleabháin, seconded by Cllr Fionntán Ó’Súilleabháin. However, at this point, Cllr John Hegarty suggested a secret ballot to choose the name. Cllr Ó’Súilleabháin was outraged by this. ‘Why can’t people just stand over what they choose?’ he asked. ‘What’s the point in this? What’s the point in the press being here if it’s going to be done in secret?’

Pieces of paper were then handed around the chamber and upon counting, Slí na Scoláirí emerged on top with 5 votes with two for Bothar Diarmuid Ó’Súilleabháin and one abstention.

Cllrs Ó’Súilleabháin and Farrell were left angered by the way the decision was arrived at. ‘Are we setting a dangerous precedent here?’ asked Cllr Farrell. ‘Is this how we’re going to deal with all issues from now on?’

‘It’s all party politics,’ said Cllr Ó’Súilleabháin. ‘They just keep moving the goalposts until they get what they want.’