Garda appeal as two die on roads

Gardaí have renewed their appeal to drive safely following the deaths of a man and a woman in separate crashes and a multi-vehicle…

Gardaí have renewed their appeal to drive safely following the deaths of a man and a woman in separate crashes and a multi-vehicle collision on the M50 over the weekend.

Liam Hogan (38), Ardsallagh, Youghal, Co Cork, died when his motorcycle hit a concrete bollard at Dunkettle, Glanmire, at 12.20pm on Saturday.

His body was removed to Cork University Hospital where it underwent a postmortem. Gardaí believe no other vehicle was involved.

A woman in her 70s died on Friday afternoon when the car she was driving his a wall at Ballinagh Road, Cavan.

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Gardaí in Cavan are continuing to investigate the incident which happened shortly before 5pm. No other vehicle was involved.

Traffic came to a standstill for more than an hour on the M50 in Dublin yesterday following a crash involving several vehicles. The incident happened on the ring road south bound just after the Finglas exit at around 2.30pm.

The circumstances of the crash are still under investigation. However, there were no fatalities and it is understood that no one was seriously injured.

Gardaí closed the road after the crash and left one lane open to traffic for more than an hour. Traffic remained at a crawl for most of the afternoon but began to ease from around 4.30pm, according to AA Roadwatch.

Gardaí were last night urging motorists to continue to drive safely and reduce their speed for the remainder of the bank holiday weekend.

Garda figures show that almost 50 per cent of road deaths occur at the weekends. The roads are expected to become very busy this afternoon as holidaymakers return home after the weekend.

Nine people were killed during the last bank holiday weekend at Easter.

Gardaí made a particular appeal to motorists not to drink and drive after 86 people were arrested for drink-driving on Saturday night, bringing the total number of drink-driving arrests on Saturdays in April to almost 400.

Despite continued campaigns against drink-driving it "continues to be a very serious issue giving rise to much concern", A Garda spokesman said.

Olivia Kelly

Olivia Kelly

Olivia Kelly is Dublin Editor of The Irish Times