Despite the expressed misgivings of inhabitants opposed to the chosen route, building of the road to bypass both Ballyshannon and Bundoran in County Donegal was begun in July.

Engineered to provide quicker access to the greater part of the county, recently described by President Mary Macalese as "like Paradise" (see previous article It's official-"Donegal is like Paradise") it is calculated that the by-pass will be used by over 9,000 vehicles a day that otherwise would travel through both towns.

The first sod for its construction was turned at a ceremony by Transport Minister Seamus Brennan who said, "The high volume of traffic using the route, especially in the tourist season, regularly results in congestion in both towns. There will be substantial journey time savings."

The route cutting through Ballyshannon was contested by residents who took their case before An Bord Pleanala, where it was rejected after a number of public hearings.

Construction of the 11 kilometre by-pass, including a bridge over the tailrace below the Cathleen Falls dam, is estimated to be 80 million.

The economic cost to both towns cannot be estimated.

Meanwhile, with apologies to Gershwin, proponents of the by-pass may well be humming:

I'll build a by-pass to Paradise,
With a new cost ev'ry day.
I'm going to get there at any price;
Stand aside, I'm on my way!

--30--