Man stable after Australia crash that killed girlfriend

A LIMERICK man is in a serious, but stable, condition in hospital in Australia following a road collision that claimed the life of his US girlfriend.

The pair had been on holiday in Ireland last week.

American-born Trinity College graduate Kelly Ann Meehan, whose father emigrated from Clare, died in the accident. She had spent many summers visiting relatives in Clare.

Ms Meehan, aged 31, died instantly in the crash 300 miles north of Perth early on Monday. Along with her boyfriend Patrick Gibbs, aged 26, who comes from a well-known Limerick city GAA family, the pair had been returning from holidays in Ireland. Mr Gibbs was removed by air ambulance to a hospital in Perth.

Ms Meehan’s father Martin Meehan, was from Newmarket-on-Fergus. With Kelly and other members of the family, he travelled regularly from the US to visit relatives in his native county.

Local councillor Pat McMahon said: “Kelly would be well-known for visiting her many cousins at the family home in Crussa. They are a very big family and Martin moved over and back from the US to Newmarket-on-Fergus. We are all very saddened and shocked at this tragic news.”

Patrick Gibbs, a civil engineer, met Kelly when they both studied in Trinity.

His father Jim is chairman of the Limerick City GAA club, Ballinacurra Gaels. He said his son had received multiple fractures in the accident which happened in a remote area at around 2am, local time on Monday.

He said: “Patrick was on his correct side of the road and saw a car coming straight for him. He tried to avoid this vehicle but there was nothing he could do.”

Kelly and Patrick, he said, had only returned to Australia following a visit home. They were travelling from Perth airport when the accident occurred.

Jim Gibbs said: “They visited lots of friends when they were here in Limerick and went to see his aunt, Mary Gibbs in Clonmel. who is ill in hospital.”

A keen gaelic footballer, Patrick had played Australian rules. Members of both families have travelled to Perth.

Meanwhile, gardaí are appealing for the public’s help in piecing together the last hours of a 37-year-old woman who was killed when hit by a car on the outskirts of Cork city.

Regina Kennedy, who lived in Blarney Street, died as she tried to cross the main Cork-Carrigaline road at Carr’s Hill near Douglas at 2.20am on Monday.

It is believed Ms Kennedy, originally from Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, may have been crossing the road from the Mount Oval side.

Gardaí know she had been seen in South Mall, Cork at 10.30pm the previous night before socialising at the Old Oak licensed premises on Oliver Plunkett Street.

She left there at 12.45am, but there are no known sightings after that.

A garda spokeswoman said Ms Kennedy was 5ft 9ins tall with dark hair and sallow skin. She was wearing a brown leather jacket, blue jumper, blue jeans and a scarf. “We are appealing to anybody who saw this woman to contact us. She may have been given a lift from the city to the Mount Oval area.”

Anybody with information should contact Douglas Garda Station on [phone], or Togher Garda Station on [phone].