Mystery of missing ‘Welcome to Tallaght’ sign solved

Mystery of missing ‘Welcome to Tallaght’ sign solved

By Mary Dennehy

THE mystery of the missing ‘Welcome to Tallaght’ sign has been solved, after South Dublin County Council confirmed to The Echo that it reported the installation of the “unauthorised” tourist sign to Transport Infrastructure Ireland – and it was subsequently removed.

After only three days in situ, the temporary, corriboard sign, which was sponsored by Tallaght Community Council (TCC), went missing – with the community group starting a campaign for its return.

Welcome to Tallaght sign

TCC's Welcome to Tallaght sign before it was removed 

According to (TCC), the temporary sign was “safely erected” and set well back on the grass verge beside Kilsaran on the N81.

The group also said that as part of the “sign design and sign production” that every possible care was taken to “adhere” to the existing Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) national road signage guidelines from a size, colour and font perspective.

However, South Dublin County Council confirmed to The Echo that it reported the installation of the sign to TII, which has responsibility for operating and maintaining the national primary and secondary road network, and that the sign was subsequently removed.

For the past four years, TCC has been asking the council to erect a permanent, ‘Welcome to Tallaght’ sign, on the accurate boundary of the townsland of Tallaght – which lies close to Kilsaran on the N81.

According to TCC, this is important from a historical perspective as they believe Tallaght’s boundaries are being continually pushed back, with the visibility and usage of ‘Tallaght’ the place name being reduced.

“After 24 years as the County Town, the absence of a clear and proud Welcome to Tallaght sign has become untenable to Tallaght Community Council and many residents and local businesses”, Gerry Stockil, TCC voluntary Chair said.

“Neighbouring villages such as Clondalkin and Palmerstown have an abundance of place name roadside signage – some of which has been community sponsored and some South Dublin County Council sponsored.”

 TCC’s sponsored sign was removed on Friday, April 20, and up until Wednesday it was not confirmed by whom or why.

“It was quite surprising and most puzzling to see such a rapid removal of a Welcome to Tallaght sign last week, 72 hours after it was erected”, Mr Stockil said.

“In fact it is astonishing the community had to supply and erect the sign in the first place.

“We believe this sign should have been erected by the council as part of their set up here in Tallaght 24 years ago.”

USE Tallaght

TCC is calling on the council to install a permanent Welcome to Tallaght sign

He added: “It is disappointing when you think there was a sign welcoming people to Tallaght in the 70s and 80s at this location, but since the bypass opened in the 1980s we have had no formal sign marking Tallaght or welcoming residents and visitors. 

“Every hamlet, town and village in Ireland has one and we are no different.

“In fact you expect more for a County Town. It is a basic request and one that should be embraced by the council as an indication of the civic pride Tallaght has in itself.

“We got feedback immediately last week when the sign went up of how it made people feel proud to see the sign when returning home.

 “It should be robustly supported by our local authority as it directly aligns with their own policy of instilling and supporting Pride of Place.

“We are seeking as rapid a response and a cross party support to our request [of a permanent sign].

“Let’s hope we get a response and prominent sign installation as fast as the removal of our sign.”

When contacted by The Echo, the council confirmed that no application was received by TCC seeking permission for the installation of the sign, and that it reported the “unauthorised” sign to TII.

According to the council: “The local authority must obtain approval (as appropriate) for the erection of tourist signs on national roads from TII.

“The local authority can also arrange for the removal of unapproved, out of date or damaged tourist or leisure signs.

“In addition for safety reasons it is important that individual signs are not overloaded with information.

“Only a limited quantity of information can be read by the driver, taking account of the speed of the vehicle, the size of the text on the sign and road safety considerations.”

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