By Diarmaid Doherty
THE chairman of the Finn Wheelers Cycling Club has warmly welcomed the news that safety measures are finally to be carried out on the dangerous McGrory’s Brae outside Ballybofey.
Brian McElhinney said improvements have long been needed to make the busy road safer.
Despite major works on the N15 Ballybofey to Donegal Town road some years ago, the McGrory’s Brae section was left without a hard shoulder.
In February of last year, the local Finn Wheelers Cycling Club launched their own campaign to highlight the dangers shortly after one of their own members was very seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle while cycling on that stretch of road.
“It was a terrible time,” Brian McElhinney told the Donegal News.
“The accident left our friend seriously injured. At one point, his injuries were so bad that we didn’t know if he would be able to walk again.
“Thankfully however, he made a slow and very steady recovery and he’s even back cycling now.
“That incident happened in October 2021 and since we launched our campaign the following February, we’ve tried to keep the pressure on.
“Even back in 2016 when the work was carried out on that road, we were asking ourselves when they were going to finish off the hard shoulder.
“But all these years later it still has to be finished.”
A €24m funding package announced in February for national roads in Donegal included money for works at McGrory’s Brae.
Last week, local councillor Patrick McGowan announced confirmation from Donegal County Council of plans to progress with the hard shoulder scheme.
The council said the works will provide a consistent road layout benefiting all road users, in particular vulnerable road users in the form of hard shoulders and verges.
“This very welcome progress will be a benefit to all road users especially cyclists and lorries,” Cllr McGowan said.
“We all look forward for this final piece in Barnesmore Gap into Ballybofey to be completed.”
Brian McElhinney said even with the promised road improvements, cyclists still need to be careful on what’s a very dangerous and busy road.
“Our club members are on that road all the time because it’s the main road from Ballybofey into Donegal Town,” he said.
“Then you have the members of the Donegal Bay Cycling Club who use it too.
“It’s the same no matter where you cycle, you have to remain vigilant and be careful and we always ask motorists to be mindful of the cyclists as well.”
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