Tag Archives: garda

HIS room in St Theresa’s Nursing Home, Kilrush is neatly dotted with photographs and postcards. The photos include local GAA teams and shots of Michael McMahon with his brother, Stephen, who has lived and worked in England for 50 years. Until he was robbed and abruptly left his dilapidated home in Cree six years ago, Michael lived without electricity or running water. He had to leave his front door permanently ajar. Otherwise, his house would fill with a dense smoke from the turf fire. He kept to himself and didn’t mix, not realising what he was missing out on. Now, he is certain that he could never return to that lifestyle. “I’d be dead in a week. The cold was immense. When I’d be going to bed, my fingers would be stiff with ice after handling the clothes on the bed. I’d have to go up to the fire to try and loosen them. I was looking at a bleak …

Provisional road collision statistics for 2017, published by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) following an analysis of fatal collision reports supplied by An Garda Síochána, show that there has been a 15% drop in road deaths in 2017 compared to 2016. Up to the December 31, 2017 a total of 158 people lost their lives on Ireland’s roads as a result of 143 fatal crashes, compared to 186 lives lost in 174 fatal crashes in 2016. This represents 28 fewer fatalities or a 15% drop in deaths and 31 fewer fatal crashes or an 18% drop in fatal crashes. 2017 was also be the safest year on Ireland’s roads since road deaths were first recorded in 1959. Previously, 2015 (with 162 deaths) was the safest year on record. Mr Shane Ross, Minister for Transport, Tourism observed, “It is very encouraging to see that we have reversed the upward trend in road deaths witnessed in 2016. The combined focus on improved …

In the first 10 days of the DUI (Driving Under Intoxicant) campaign,December 1-10 inclusive, there have been 260 arrests on suspicion of DUI, compared to 243 for the same period in 2016. Whilst most are alcohol related, there have also been positive tests for drug driving. There are multiple examples of arrested drivers found to have an alcohol concentration of more than 100 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath. These have been intercepted throughout the country, including the morning after and early evening. The limits are, 9 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath for a specified driver. A specified driver includes learner, novice and professional driver. 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millitres of breath for a non-specified driver. The Garda message is, “This Christmas campaign will continue to concentrate on intoxicated drivers all day every day. These high risk drivers put everyone’s life in danger. Never ever drink and drive.”

Alcohol is a contributory factor in 38% of fatal crashes in the lead up to Christmas, a Road Safety Authority (RSA) analysis of Garda investigation files for fatal crashes in the months of November and December has found. The figure was revealed today at the launch of the RSA and An Garda Síochána’s annual Christmas and New Year Road Safety Campaign. Another analysis of preliminary Garda data from 2008-2016 reveals that a total of 292 road users were killed in the months of November and December. The average number of fatalities each month for this nine-year period was 16 in November and 16 in December. The new RSA analysis also shows that: • Dublin, Cork and Galway had the highest number of RTC fatalities in November and December and accounted for almost a third (32%) of the total number of fatalities that occurred during this time period. • The most prevalent times of day were between 4pm-8pm (33%) and 12pm-4pm …

Gardaí in Ennis searching for 19-year-old Jack Dinan located his body in a wooded location near the town on Monday afternoon. His body was been removed from the scene and a post mortem is due to take place today (Tuesday). Gardaí do not believe that his death is suspicious. The family have requested privacy and the gardaí have no further information to add. Jack Dinan had been missing from his home since Tuesday, October and on the following day gardaí issued an appeal to help trace his whereabouts

A man in his 20s arrested by gardaí in connection with an investigation into a robbery at a shop on the Kilrush Road in  Ennis on October 18 has this evening (Wednesday) been released without charge. A file will now be prepared for the information of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).  

Gardaí have confirmed that the skeletal remains that washed up on the Fanore coast last month were those of a woman buried at sea in 2016. Superintendent John Galvin of Kilrush Garda Station said the family of the deceased have been informed and they are no longer investigating the matter. He said the deceased woman had been buried off the West coast following her death in 2016. The remains were found by walkers on September 19 last at Poulsallagh in Fanore. Following a post mortem and DNA analysis the identity of the deceased was established and contact was subsequently made with the family.  

Gardaí in Clare are encouraging the county’s motorists to take the pledge and help make this Thursday European Day Without a Road Death. An Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority (RSA), and the AA are some of the organisations that are getting behind the Project EDWARD safety initiative project. Project EDWARD takes place for the second year in a row on Thursday. According to a spokesperson for An Garda Síochána in Ennis, “There’s no excuse not to exercise safety on the roads anytime you get behind the wheel, but drivers throughout Ireland and the continent are being urged to be particularly careful this coming Thursday. The long-term aim is to spearhead significant and sustained reduction in death and serious injury on roads across the world.” Motorists are being urged to get behind the initiative by taking a road safety pledge and promising to take the following measures later this week. Road safety pledge: I promise that I will: · Remind …