Coroner renews appeal for works on notorious road
Pat O'Connor has again renewed his appeal for works to be carried out on a notorious stretch of the N5 near Swinford. Picture: Keith Heneghan
A coroner has renewed an appeal to the relevant authorities to carry out safety works on a dangerous stretch of road on the N5 near Swinford.
Patrick O’Connor made his comments at Swinford Courthouse during a preliminary inquest hearing into the death of Margaret ‘Peggy’ Conway (née Keane), aged 79. The mother-of-five from Drimcoggy, Shrah, Tourmakeady, was fatally injured in a two-vehicle collision at Culmore, on the Charlestown side of the N5 near Swinford, on August 21, 2023.
Mr O’Connor heard that Gardaí are still working on the case file, which is due to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions over the coming weeks.
Pathologist Dr Fedal Bennani said the medical cause of death was haemorrhagic shock, acute severe soft tissue bone and retroperitoneal haemorrhage and traumatic pelvic and soft tissue injuries.
Mr O’Connor referred to the many accidents on the stretch of road as he once again appealed to the relevant authorities to improve safety at the notorious location.
“Your mother was a victim of a road traffic incident, one of unfortunately a number on that infamous 3km stretch of road between the old turn-off for Cloonlara and Ballymiles," he told Mrs Conway's family.
Mr O'Connor said he had made "repeated requests" to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) for safety works to be carried out on the road but "little or nothing has been done".
“It is time those in authority did something about it rather than just hearing my words every few months in this court."
Mr O’Connor said his verdict will be decided at a later stage after the Garda file is received and he adjourned the inquest until that information is available. He sympathised with Mrs Conway’s husband Pádraig, their children and family.
Just weeks before Mrs Conway's death, Ciaran Keating, aged 57, from Louisburgh, died on the same stretch of road after suffering fatal injuries in a two-car collision. When a preliminary inques into his death was held, Mr O'Connor again called for safety works to be carried out on the deadly stretch of road.
