Gardaí urge care on roads in wake of three fatalities

FOLLOWING a black week on the roads of Kerry, gardaí in the county yesterday urged motorists to drive with extreme care.

Two people died in overnight accidents, in Killorglin, and near Castleisland, bringing to three the number of road deaths in Kerry since Monday.

As well as that, a man in his early 20s, who was the victim of a hit-and-run accident, near Tarbert, in the early hours of Monday, is in a serious condition at Cork Regional Hospital.

So far this year, 10 people have died in road accidents in Kerry, compared with 12 for all of last year.

“We’re asking drivers to exercise extreme caution and to drive slowly within the speed limits,” said Supt Pat Sullivan, Caherciveen, adding that the roads were busier than usual during the peak tourist season. The week started with the death of carpenter and motor enthusiast Donal Flaherty, aged 24, of Sackville, Ardfert, when the car he was driving went out of control and ploughed through a safety barrier on a dangerous bend about two miles from his home.

He was alone in the Vauxhall Cavalier, which came to rest after hitting the home of Michael and Elizabeth Davis, an elderly couple, shortly after 3am.

The accident was on a bend, at Tubridmore, which has been the scene of many previous crashes.

Heart-breaking scenes were witnessed when he was laid to rest in Ardfert, on Wednesday, with guards-of-honour being formed by members of Kilmoyley GAA club and Kerry Motor Club. The second fatal accident occurred at Cordal, Castleisland, at around 8pm, on Wednesday.

This also happened on a bad bend and claimed the life of a local man, Timothy (Thady) O’Donoghue, aged 71 and married with a family of seven, whose car was in collision with a tractor towing silage harvesting machinery. Mr O’Donoghue ran a family garage business in Castleisland for many years and was also very involved in sports such as athletics and the GAA.

The third fatality was on a straight stretch, at Langford Street, Killorglin. The driver of one of the cars, Paul Murray, a 38-year-old father of a young family, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The late Mr Murray, who had a restaurant business in Killorglin, lived at Glencuttane, Kilgobnet, Co Kerry.

His Toyota Carina hatchback had collided head-on with a Mondeo taxi, at 1.45pm yesterday. The three occupants of the taxi were removed by ambulance to Tralee General Hospital, but are not reported to be seriously injured.

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to all of the accidents to come forward.