River walk in Bray to be named after the Mulvey brothers
THE river walk in Bray will be named after the Mulvey brothers, Steenie and William, following a debate at last week’s Bray Municipal District meeting.
Stephen ‘Steenie’ Mulvey fought at the GPO in 1916, while his brother William joined the British army and lost his life in the First World War.
The members received a report following public consultation about the naming.
The theme was to acknowledge someone who made a cultural or sporting contribution and are associated with the town.
A number of submissions and observations were made and it came down to the Mulveys and Joe Loughman.
In the engineer’s report, he told members that a petition for the Mulvey Walkway submitted by Cllr Brendan Thornhill and containing 340 signatures would only count as one submission. The petition did not accord with the directions of the advertisement for the naming of the walkway, according to the report.
‘It cannot be determined that a petition for an alternative name could not have produced more signatures,’ read the report.
There were four separate submissions to name the walkway in honour of Joe Loughman, who died in 1999. The engineer recommended that the walkway from the Fran O’Toole Bridge to Seapoint Court be named in his honour. Joe Loughman was a founder of Bray Wheelers, local historian, charity fundraiser and former manager of the Bray telephone exchange.
Other names which were suggested during the process included boxing champion Katie Taylor, the Brabazon family, footballer Bertie Messitt, and Eamon de Buitlear.
The late Bray People photographer Dave O’Connor was also one of those mentioned in a submission to the council.
Bray Emmets, James Joyce and Oscar Wilde’s mother Lady Jane Wilde were also nominated, as well as footballer Noel Mason.
Not considered, sadly, were the names ‘Boardy McWalkface’ and ‘Walky McWalkface’.
Cllr Steven Matthews spoke to the members about Joe Loughman who was a highly regarded and fondly remembered member of the community who had contributed to the economic wellbeing of the town, made a huge contribution to sport and the historical and heritage, and cultural life of the town. He was highly involved in history and heritage groups. He lived above the river walk, was involved
in the heritage centre and the telephone exchange was nearby.
Cllr Matthews said that there had been a public consultation process and asked that it be complied with.
Cllr Brendan Thornhill had initially suggested some time ago that the walk be named in honour of the Mulveys.
‘In 2016, 100 years after 1916, we in this town didn’t do anything for Steenie Mulvey who was in the GPO in 1916. He was a member of Bray Urban Council. He got an All-Ireland football medal, and on one occasion he jumped off the Dargle Bridge and saved a woman’s life. He was also involved with the trade union movement,’ said Cllr Thornhill.
‘William Mulvey from Little Bray joined the British Army. At that time it was a very hard thing to do, families were divided. He fought in the great war and lost his life.’
Cllr Thornhill said that eight people had collected signatures for the petition. He said that there was nothing in the advertisement to suggest that petitions would not be allowed.
Cllr Michael O’Connor said that the symbolism of the Mulvey brothers is important. ‘We are living in a time of anniversary, of 1916, and of the desperate slaughter of World War One. It sends out strong signals when we include both sides in the naming of various things. It shows a recognition for the families and memories of those who fought in 1916 for the republic or for the British Empire in World War One.’
Cllr O’Connor said that he holds all of the people on the list in the highest regard and that he has difficulty with the procedure.
Cllr Vance said that he knew many of the nominees personally, including the Mulvey family.
‘I didn’t know James Joyce, although some people think I’m old enough,’ he said.
He said all of the nominees had made a big contribution to Bray and that his support would be for naming the walk after Joe Loughman.
‘It looks like there are enough names here to name anything we need to name in the town,’ said Cllr Oliver O’Brien. He said that its not good to have a situation of ‘Loughman vs Mulvey’.
Cathaoirleach Christopher Fox said that he would like to avoid a vote if possible out of respect to both families.
Cllr Steven Matthews suggested a compromise, he suggested a tribute to the Mulveys at the memorial garden in the People’s Park.
There was some argument about the technicalities of which vote should take place first.
In the end, there was one vote: should it be the Mulvey Walk or the Loughman Walk, with another tribute to the Mulveys at the park. The result was a five-four vote in favour of the former. At the end of the debate, Cllr Pat Vance said that they shouldn’t name things in the future unless absolutely necessary.
‘People are not stopping me in the streets over this, it’s not a burning issue,’ said Cllr Vance. ‘It doesn’t warrant the time.’
Members also agreed to ask the officials to draw up protocol for any future event of naming.