Concern expressed there'll be ‘no digging’ in Limerick village until after Ryder Cup

CONCERNS have been raised that “no digging will be done in Adare” until after the Ryder Cup in 2027.

Referring to the golf tournament, which will be held at Adare Manor, councillors from the Adare/Rathkeale Municipal District have said that plans for the area cannot be put on pause in anticipation of the international event.

While discussing the Adare Public Realm plan at the May meeting of the district, councillors raised concerns that work on the plan would not begin until after 2027.

Currently, the council is waiting for a survey to be done regarding conservation and how the plan will affect areas which surround the river Shannon.

The plan cannot move forward until this is completed. The plan indicates, in broad terms, the role of the public realm including key urban spaces, pedestrian and cycling priority linkages and streetscape enhancement for the village.

At their monthy meeting, councillors also suggested that the plan be integrated into the Limerick Development Plan 2022 - 2028.

After Councillor Bridie Collins said work on the Public Realm Plan needs to be sped up in order to be completed by the Ryder Cup, Cllr Stephen Keary suggested there would be “no digging in Adare” until the event was over.

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Councillors agreed the “needs of locals” could not be “neglected for a three day event”.

Cllr Adam Teskey stressed that local concerns need to be addressed regarding the implementation and timeline of the plan.

The Ryder Cup will return to Ireland in 2027 when Adare Manor hosts the biennial contest between Europe and the United States for the first time.

Meanwhile, the long-awaited Adare bypass, which was slated to be open in time for the 2027 tournament, is at the beginning of the planning proccess.

The project has picked up pace in recent months as compulsory purchases for several pieces of land required for the road have been published.

In August 2022, An Bord Pleanála gave permission for the 35km long Foynes to Limerick road project, which includes the bypass, to go ahead.