The Last Word with Matt Cooper Nightmare Commutes: Galway
Nov 20, 2025
Ray Silke, a former All-Ireland winning captain of Galway, shares his frustrating commuting experiences, highlighting how delays impact family life and quality of living. Karen Ronan, CEO of Galway Chamber, discusses the critical need for a Galway Ring Road to support business growth and alleviate traffic woes. They both advocate for a multimodal transport strategy to enhance accessibility. The conversation reveals how commuting struggles are driving young people away and stressing the importance of integrated infrastructure planning.
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Daily Commute Stretched To Over An Hour
- Ray Silke described commutes that should take 20–25 minutes stretching to over an hour, forcing him to start days at 6:30am.
- He shifted family routines to avoid peak congestion and highlighted commuters enduring 70–90 minute trips into Galway.
Short Distances Take Longer Than Long Drives
- Ray recounted people taking 60–90 minutes from nearby towns like Barna and Spiddal to reach Galway.
- He emphasised the last 10–15km can be slower than a 120km drive, illustrating extreme local congestion.
Business Leader Faces Heavy Commutes
- Karen Ronan said commuting from West Limerick often takes an hour just to get from the Galway Clinic into Merchants Road.
- She also reported evening journeys taking up to 90 minutes before starting the trip home.