A new €63 million bypass through Charlestown in Co Mayo is expected to be named after the former Irish Timesjournalist John Healy, who was a native of the town.
The local area committee of Mayo County Council, which includes Charlestown, has proposed that the 18km stretch of the N5 which is due to open in October should be called the John Healy Charlestown Bypass.
The proposal to name the bypass will go before a full meeting of Mayo County Council in September and there is likely to be no objection.
Healy was one of the best-known Irish journalists of his era and he became a household name through his Backbencher columns in this newspaper.
He drew attention to the plight of towns in the west of Ireland through his two books No One Shouted Stop: The Death of an Irish Town (1965) about his native Charlestown and the autobiographical 19 Acres.
Cllr Joe Mellett, who proposed the naming, said: "He's a guy that we can associate with especially in bad times. He made the rest of the country aware of what was happening then, but he would be delighted if he saw what was happening today.
All Charlestown is proud of him, as are the people of Mayo."
Mr Healy's brother Gerry, who lives locally, said: "We are absolutely elated, and so are his wife and family."
"He worked very hard and did a lot for the area.
"He genuinely was the only media man for the west in Dublin.
"We are delighted that he will be remembered in this way," he added.