President Higgins commends Ted’s sun glare campaign
DINGLE man Ted Creedon, who has been on a campaign since last year to alert drivers to the dangers of sun glare, has received a letter from Áras an Uachtaráin in which President Higgins commended him for his efforts in promoting road safety in West Kerry.
“The President commends you for the work and commitment you have demonstrated in raising awareness of the dangers associated with sun glare while driving,” the letter from the Áras stated, adding: “I can assure you that road safety is a matter to which the President attributes the greatest importance and he hosted a reception at Áras an Uachtaráin in November, 2023 to mark World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
“The President thanks you for dedicating your time to improving road safety for all and sends his best wishes to you and your family.”
In January last year Ted’s wife and sister-in-law were very seriously injured in a road traffic accident due to being blinded by sun glare. Soon after he decided to do something about the threat of sun glare to motorists, cyclists and walkers.
“I had never heard warnings about the dangers of sun glare on radio or TV, which is strange because almost every motorist I talk to has had a negative experience of sun glare on West Kerry roads, especially during the winter months,” Ted told The Kerryman.
He sought support for a road safety campaign by writing to President Higgins, Leo Varadkar, Micheál Martin, Eamon Ryan, Met Éireann and the Road Safety Authority, RSA.
“There was a favourable response from some of those listed above but the most encouraging response came from Áras an Uachtaráin, which was essentially one of regret that the President was prevented from being involved due to
Constitutional restraints. But it wasn’t because of any lack of empathy by the President towards the campaign. He also sent his best wishes,” Ted said.
Ted set about creating awareness about sun glare through interviews with The Kerrryman, Radio Kerry, West Kerry Live and Nuacht TG4. He produced some 1,500 graphic car stickers through the generosity of Edwin at Dingle Printing, including some 300 stickers with text in Irish funded by Dúchas an Daingin.
The stickers were distributed among the local population, businesses, the local hospital and the 18 primary schools on the peninsula, from Dún Chaoin to Castlemaine.
Independent support also came from Councillors Séamus Cosai MacGearailt and Breandán Fitzgerald in the form of a motion tabled at a meeting of Kerry County Council in February which was passed. It requested Minister Eamon Ryan to urge the RSA to produce warnings about sun glare for radio and television.
Ted wrote to Luke Sweeney of the Office of the Secretary General to the President on 15 February last to bring him up to date on progress. “I didn’t expect a response from the Áras. It was just to let Luke Sweeney know that the campaign was going as well as could be expected. It’s amazing to get this kind of support and recognition from the President. And I put two car stickers in the envelope also – not for the President’s car!” said Ted.