by Michael McGrath.
It was envisaged that the northern part of the Kilkenny Ring Road would pass across the Dunningstown Road on its way over to the Freshford Road, after bearing traffic on a spur across the Smithwick estate – thus relieving the hard pressed Kennyswell Road – up along the back of the Butts and across Ayrfield to the Dunningstown Road crossing: this was to be the completion of the Ring Road, which would then cross the Nore and join up with the Eastern Ring Road across on the Castlecomer Road and thus complete the circle.
Now, there is no joined-up thinking. Councillors like Andrew McGuinness, now the Mayor, haven’t provided for this at all as they no longer even mention the completion of the Ring Road or the building of the northern bridge to enable it.
Whenever the country opens up again, the Kilkenny Ring Road must be completed and it’s about time our Council Executive and Councillors took cognisance of this in the present design of the road operation at Dunningstown.
THE KILKENNY JOURNAL 