How this former Galway Students’ Union President changed the daily commute for thousands in the city
Like a well-oiled machine, the flow of pedestrians and traffic outside Galway’s Big Top moved seamlessly this year. And for that, a generation of University of Galway Students’ Union presidents have something to celebrate.
It was a push from former Students’ Union President Dean Kenny during his time in office that made way for such convenience years after.
What was once a risky dash across multiple lanes of traffic on a blind bend has been transformed into an organised, signal-controlled crossing for pedestrians and motorists connecting Gaol Road and University Road to the bridge.
Mr Kenny, a Mayo native, was elected president of the University of Galway Students’ Union for the 2023-24 academic year. By then, he had already heard from predecessors that the crossing between the university campus and the city centre had long been a source of concern.
The bridge itself presents challenges. Its narrow width can leave larger vehicles waiting for a break in traffic before turning, while the footpaths are so tight that two pedestrians can struggle to pass one another comfortably.
Just before Mr Kenny took office in May 2023, the Salmon Weir Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge opened, providing additional capacity for the thousands of people who walk and cycle to the university each day.
Yet many students continued to use the adjacent road bridge as part of their daily commute, and crossing either bridge safely remained an issue.
“It goes back to when I started college, probably around 2019,” Mr Kenny told the Irish Independent.
“It was one of those things that everybody knew was a problem and everybody said, ‘Someone should do something about that.’”
It took time, he said, to realise that as the elected leader of an organisation representing more than 20,000 students, he was in a position to try to make that happen.
“I fairly quickly sent an email to all the city councillors about it, just to see who might bite.”
Galway City Councillor Frank Fahy responded by bringing a motion before Galway City Council. According to Mr Kenny, councillors from across the political spectrum took a keen interest in the proposal despite concerns over traffic build-up.
“It should be said that every Students’ Union president raised it and highlighted it as an issue, but there was never any real action on it.”
In May 2025, Galway City Council was presented with a Section 38 report recommending approval of safety measures for vulnerable road users at the location. Under Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act, local authorities can introduce traffic-calming and road-safety measures on public roads.
The report concluded that many of the safety conflicts experienced at the bridge could be addressed through a formalised pedestrian crossing facility.
“There were questions about how it would affect traffic and traffic flow around the city, which is completely justified. Traffic is bad enough as it is,” Mr Kenny said.
The proposal was ultimately approved.
Then, after his initial lobbying efforts, the project largely disappeared from his view.
Mr Kenny completed his term as Students’ Union president, graduated from university, moved back to Mayo and began a new job, ironically in politics.
Earlier this year, however, a Facebook message brought unexpected news. The crossing had been completed, and the pedestrian lights had been switched on March 20, 2026.
“It’s been a long-running campaign. I’m not going to try to claim credit for it at all, but every Students’ Union worked on it and thankfully it’s done,” he said.
“It’s a great addition and I’m told it’s working well.”
For Mr Kenny, the project is a reminder of one of the first lessons student leaders are taught when they take office.
During training, he was told that much of the work undertaken during a one-year term may not come to fruition until long after an officer has left the role.
“This is kind of indicative of that,” Mr Kelly said.
“As those officers said to me, a lot of what you’re doing won’t come into fruition until after your term.”
Now working as a political assistant, Mr Kelly says the experience has given him a new appreciation for the often-slow pace of public decision-making.
“It kind of shows that sometimes you can nearly do more as an independent representative of an organisation like the Students’ Union than you can as an elected representative,” he said.
Those operating in what he describes as a “real politics role” can often be constrained by competing priorities and wider responsibilities.
“When you’re representing one organisation, the wishes and feelings of that organisation are more often than not unified.”
For Mr Kenny, however, the campaign addressed a straightforward concern: ensuring students could travel safely to and from their place of education.
When students return to campus this autumn, many will likely cross Salmon Weir without a second thought. Few will consider the years of lobbying, council motions, consultations and approvals that delivered a crossing signal that now grants pedestrians and motorists their allotted turn.
But the project stands as a testament to the persistence of successive Students’ Union leaders who continued to champion an issue despite knowing they might never see the outcome themselves.