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By Sean Moriarty

The Moll’s Gap road is to close from Monday morning for two weeks - to facilitate works at a retaining wall near the famous tunnel – known as The Cutting - on the N71 between Killarney and Kenmare.

Part of the retaining wall has collapsed near the tunnel but as the road is so narrow there it is necessary to fully close the road to allow the repairs.

Motorists are being asked to follow a dedicated diversion route via the R569 road at Loo Bridge.

This road reopened at 5pm yesterday evening (Thursday). It was closed for emergency repair works following a landslide during Storm Denis earlier this month.

“Since the road partially collapsed on February 9, Council staff and contractors have been working in difficult weather conditions to ensure the repairs were completed as quickly as possible,” said a Council spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the works on the Moll’s Gap road will commence on Monday. These works were postponed pending the completion of repairs on the R569 road and are now expected to be completed by March 16.