Calls to name new Mayo bridge and roadway in honour of Joe Biden

Let’s dedicate the magnificent new bridge, spanning the Moy at Cloongullane, Swinford, to the memory of Joe Biden.

It would be a fitting memorial considering all the pride, joy and emotion pumping in every Mayo heart following the President’s glorious sojourn in the county of his forefathers.

The 83-metre bridge, costing in the region of €12 million, is a magnificent piece of engineering, fit, dare I say it, for a President.

It is the largest single-span bridge in Mayo and one of the largest of its kind in Ireland.

Elected members of the municipal district are due to decide on the official naming of the new bridge in the near future.

Various names have been suggested including Michael Davitt and Michael Collins but these are historical figures whose names are already enshrined in various monuments and buildings, locally and nationally.

Let’s opt for a contemporary hero, a man whose ancestors probably crossed the old stone bridge (still functioning for local traffic) on their way to making new lives in America in the 18th century.

One local politician recently described the naming issue for the new bridge as 'an upcoming hot potato'.

There’s no need for any heat or divisiveness on the issue.

Let the name Joe Biden grace the nameplate on Mayo’s finest, newest piece of architecture.

It’s a no-brainer.

Meanwhile, Castlebar Councillor Ger Deere is proposing that the new section of the N5 between Turlough Road and Westport Road be named in honour of Mr. Biden.

He stated: "His motorcade was the first to officially drive on the road, so it would be a great marking of such an historic occasion as his visit."