‘Bally-go-backwards’ attitude in Wexford as Governor of Georgia is shown round unkempt parts of county during official visit

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

The chair of Wexford County Council (WCC) had to bring the governor of Georgia through parts of the county which resembled “bally-go-backwards” during an official visit last week.

With Wexford and Georgia having deep cultural and economic ties Governor Brian Kemp visited the south-east to tour the Georgia Southern Wexford Campus and attend a number of events in the county. During his stay he also visited Johnstown Castle and, as cathaoirleach of WCC, Councillor Lisa McDonald was keen to show him round an attraction based in the heartland of her constituency.

However, at the July meeting of the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD), she admitted to having mixed feelings about Governor Kemp’s visit.

“I had to bring the governor of Georgia to Johnstown Castle last Friday and through a roundabout with a broken Piercestown sign,” she said. “I have reported this umpteen times to various departments in the council. But the sign is still broken and there are weeds all over that roundabout.

“I am apoplectic about this, the whole area is filthy. We talk about bringing visitors into the county and we’re like bally-go-backwards.”

While the sign at the roundabout has been broken for a week or so, the issue of the weeds has been previously raised by Cllr McDonald who had already taken it upon herself to do some gardening there.

“Before the Lifestyle Sports Marathon in April I asked for that roundabout to be dealt with,” she said. “The night before the marathon myself and my daughter went out and weeded it. There are voluntary environmental groups in the area but they have said they will not deal with that roundabout as it’s too dangerous.”

Although director of services Lynda Lacey said she would raise these issues on her behalf, Cllr McDonald felt that, as the chair of the council, her issues needed to be taken a bit more seriously.

“I’m the chair of the bloody council and I’m being ignored, people are visiting Johnstown Castle every day of the week and that’s what they’re met with. I offered to tidy up that roundabout last week again when the governor of Georgia was coming. I was told it would be done, and it wasn’t.”

And it isn’t just the roundabouts in Piercestown which are succumbing to the elements, as Cllr Ger Carthy noted.

“Can we start spraying the junctions with weed killer?” he asked. “We can’t be spending €50,000 on upgrading junctions and then letting the grass grow mad on them, it’s affecting the sight lines for motorists.”

The decay is extending to the RMD’s many beaches, some of which are not looking their best during these peak summer months.

“Can we cut the ditches leading down to the beaches, tidy up the car parks, and spray the weeds in them?” asked Cllr Carthy. “Carne Pier is a disgrace with weeds and dirt at the moment.”