Naming of Ballysadare bridge

Dear Editor,

The Four Masters in their Annals of Ireland record that in 1360 Cathal O’Conor built a bridge of “lime and stone”, the first record of that construction in Ireland, across the river at Eas-Dara.

That bridge has since then been continuously recorded as Ballysadare (or its variants) Bridge.

It has now been re-named and more than 650 years of history discarded.

This re-naming, regardless of the sacrifice of Martin Savage after whom it is re-named and with apologies to the genuine feelings of some who commemorate him, has all the hallmarks of the opportunism of others.

Why were funds not raised and a specific Martin Savage memorial raised to commemorate the hero instead of this cheap, tragic and not uncommon disregard for real history?

Regards, Pat O’Brien, Ballygawley,