SIR, - ON SEPTEMBER 3RD, A FRONT WHEEL OF A TOURIST'S PARKED CAR FELL INTO A HOLE IN THE ROAD IN ENNISKERRY VILLAGE. THIS WAS QUITE A SURPRISE TO THE TOURIST BUT NOT TO ANYBODY IN ENNISKERRY.HOLES IN THE ROAD ARE BECOMING COMMONPLACE HERE SINCE SOME OF THE OLD SURFACE WATER DRAINS WERE UNDERMINED FOLLOWING HURRICANE-TYPE WEATHER IN NOVEMBER 1995 WHICH WASHED STONES, GRAVEL, HARD-CORE, SOIL and OTHER DEBRIS FROM A NEARBY BUILDING-SITE THROUGH THE DRAINS AND DOWN SOME ROADS, DRIVEWAYS AND GARDENS AND INTO SOME HOUSES. THE ROAD HAS COLLAPSED INTO THE GRANITE-WALLED DRAINS ON A DOZEN OR MORE OCCASIONS WITH THE INTERVALS BETWEEN COLLAPSES BECOMING SHORTER.THE TOURIST'S CAR WAS NOT THE FIRST VEHICLE TO SINK INTO THE UNDERMINED DRAIN.
OTHER CAR OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. AND WHEN AN ARTICULATED TRUCK DELIVERING IRON-LUNGS OF GUINNESS TO A LOCAL PUB WENT DOWN, A COUNTY COUNCIL JCB CAME TO THE RESCUE, ONLY TO CAUSE A FURTHER COLLAPSE OF THE ROAD INTO THE DRAIN IN THE COURSE OF THE "RESCUE" OPERATION.THE COLLAPSE UNDER THE TOURIST'S CAR WAS THE FOURTH IN AS MANY WEEKS. NOT ALL COLLAPSES ARE CAUSED By THE WEIGHT OF PARKED VEHICLES. MANY SPONTANEOUS COLLAPSES HAVE HAPPENED AFTER THE PROLONGED HEAVY RAIN WHICH HAS BEEN A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE THIS YEAR. THE VIBRATION OF HEAVY TRUCKS AND TOUR BUSES IS NOT HELPING THE SITUATION.LOCALS ARE WARY ABOUT WHERE THEY PARK OR DRIVE IN THE VILLAGE. OUTSIDERS ARE NOT AWARE OF THE RISKS. WICKLOW COUNTY COUNCIL MUST BE AWARE OF THE HAZARDS SINCE ITS STAFF HAS BEEN CALLED OUT ON MANY OCCASIONS. ONE WONDERS IF THE COUNCIL IS WAITING FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BEFORE AN APPROPRIATE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS PUT IN PLACE. - YOURS, ETC.,ROSEMOUNT, ENNISKERRY, CO WICKLOW