Family of man who drowned in Thomond Bridge cage accident settle High Court action

The court was told it was a very tragic case

Blocklayer Bryan Whelan (pictured) was only 29 years of age when he and his colleague stonemason TJ O’Herlihy (aged 36) were trapped in the cage which fell into the river over nine years ago and the two men drowned. File photo

The family of a man who plunged to his death and drowned in the River Shannon after the steel cage carrying him and his colleagues as they worked on a Limerick bridge suddenly dropped into the water has settled a High Court action over his death.

Blocklayer Bryan Whelan from O’Brien’s Bridge, Co Clare, was only 29 years of age when he and his colleague stonemason TJ O’Herlihy, 36, from Castleisland, Co Kerry, were trapped in the cage which fell into the river over nine years ago and the two men drowned.