Man fighting for life after cliff fall

A man is fighting for life in hospital after being airlifted from a cliff fall in north Co. Dublin.

The rescue operation involved the Howth coastguard and helicopter, the RNLI in-shore lifeboat and a group of volunteers.

The alarm was raised at about 5.30pm yesterday evening after the man failed to return to the Howth Summit car park.

Gardaí called in Howth coastguard and helicopter which, along with volunteers, began searching the cliffs along Howth Head in north Co. Dublin.

Shortly before 6pm yesterday evening, they found the man seriously hurt after falling from the cliff path near the Bailey Lighthouse - about a hundred feet above.

Two cliff rescue climbers and a paramedic were lowered to attend to the victim and give him first aid before he was winched to safety and brought by helicopter to Tallaght hospital in Dublin.

His condition is being described as critical.