Second fatality on Kerry roads this week

An elderly man has died and a number of people have been injured on a road off the N22 near Killarney in an early morning crash, in the second road fatality in just days in Co Kerry.

The collision occurred at Finnegans Cross, Kilcummin, at approximately 6.45am yesterday.

An elderly man was taken to Kerry University Hospital where he was pronounced dead. An elderly woman was taken to Kerry University Hospital, where she is described as being in a critical condition.

A third individual, a female, was taken to Kerry University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The road was yesterday closed, with local diversions in place.

Gardaí are appealing for anyone with information, particularly any road users travelling in the area at the time of the collision who may have camera footage, to contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.

It is the second fatal accident on Kerry roads this week.

On Monday, a van driver in his 50s lost his life in a collision between a truck and a van shortly after 9am on the N21 Castleisland to Abbeyfeale road in Kerry.

The man who died in this accident at Glounsharoon on the N21 was Michael John Moynihan, a married father of two from Gneeveguilla. He was well known in GAA circles and had been a talented footballer.

The driver of the truck, also a man in his 50s, was taken to Tralee University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Meanwhile, the Road Safety Authority said there was a 4% rise in the number of fatalities on Irish roads in 2019 compared to 2018.

Provisional figures issued in recent days reported that 148 people died on Irish roads in 2019, up from 142 in 2018 — 2018 was the safest year ever recorded on Irish roads.

Casualty figures for 2019 show that while there has been a drop in pedestrian deaths, down 15, or 36%, and passenger deaths, down four or 20%, there was an increase in the number of drivers killed, up 25 or 45%, compared to 2018.

There was one more motorcyclist death recorded in 2019 compared to 2018 too, with 16 recorded.

Gardaí say that they will maintain a visible presence on Irish roads in 2020 in an effort to help reduce the number of casualties.

An additional 180 gardaí have been assigned to roads policing duties to help in this endeavour.