Politics can be a rough and tumble business but the thick-skinned usually revel in it. Not so four sensitive representatives from Galway Corporation, who walked out of a public meeting late last week in disgust.
The four, including former Galway mayor Cllr Angela Lynch-Lupton, were among eight councillors and one Minister of State, Mr Frank Fahey, who had come to hear the views of residents about a controversial issue - Galway Corporation's "waterways enhancement scheme". Though it has been portrayed as a local dispute over a river path along the Corrib, the issue is fundamental to the future of the city.
Work on the scheme began some weeks ago and took local residents by surprise. Even the eagle-eyed members of An Taisce's Galway branch missed the notice in the local press - it was not informed, as is customary for a statutory body.
A meeting was convened by the corporation with residents of the Woodquay area, bordering the river. However, the elderly residents claim they were unaware of what was actually afoot.
The "master plan" is part of an overall redesign of the central city area, according to the corporation. Already Fishmarket and the area around the courthouse have been transformed into pedestrianised squares. The Town Hall Theatre was restored and the medieval wall at the Spanish Arch was refurbished. It was also decided to provide riverside walks from Corrib Terrace to Steamer's Quay.
It was when some residents and regular strollers along the "green walk" - as part of the route is known - noticed digging machinery, workmen and limestone flags that the alarm bells rang. Following protests, the work was suspended temporarily. The issue is due to come before the corporation again tonight.
"This is the last area left for wildlife in the city," Ms Sheila Gallagher, of the Woodquay Residents' Association, explained to those who came to Thursday night's public meeting. By removing trees, pointing up walls and replacing grass with limestone flags, the habitat of birds such as robins, swallows, blue tits, a kingfisher and bats would be destroyed. If the corporation had its way a "botanical wonder" - a fig tree, one of two on the route - could be lost.
Objectors say rowans, a magnificent lime, a giant sycamore, a birch, a white willow, maples, a London plane and an English elm line the route.
Horticulturist Mr Paddy Cunningham noted that the roots of a 100-year-old horse chestnut at the Salmon Weir bridge had already been very badly damaged during construction work.
The corporation has said it does not intend to remove all the trees and intends to plant new stock, adding 17 trees in all. It has also proposed using granite rather than limestone flags, retaining a small grassy area near the Galway Rowing Club, relocating part of the footpath and using timber rather than stone seats.
Mr Joe Gavin, city manager, has already met the Woodquay residents. He says he objects to a statement subsequently issued which was "unsigned" and which did not represent "the conduct and consent" of the meeting. He believes it represented a "personal attack" on him.
One of the four councillors who left last week's meeting said on local radio the following day that he objected to personalised attacks on Mr Gavin. However, it was after a remark by one speaker about councillors not "being worth a grain of salt" that the four left.
Among those who stayed, Labour councillor Ms Catherine Connolly expressed her support for the residents, and Fianna Fail's Senator Margaret Cox also appealed for reason. The Minister of State for Health, Mr Frank Fahey, said he was in agreement with the concerns. Pointing out that he was not an elected councillor, he promised to talk with the city manager.
The issue is set to continue unless there can be some resolution at City Hall tonight. One Woodquay resident, Mr Stephen Greaney, who claims to represent the views of 16 householders in the area, says he favours the riverside walk. In a city with no proper children's playground, no park and a construction boom, the river bank was the last refuge for many.
An objector, Ms Anne Marshall, another Woodquay resident who attended Thursday's meeting, placed it in a national perspective when she spoke. The residents displayed the best traits of a community, she said. "Elected representatives should see them as allies, not as adversaries. They are the essential ingredient of a living community in the heart of Galway."
However, if as a result of technicalities, the community was "defeated and humiliated, demeaned and devalued", then "something extraordinarily special" would be lost. Voices which said "Why bother?" would prevail. "Why bother when vandals spray-paint the courthouse, when cars are broken into or when public places are van dalised? Public places then become no-man's land."
