Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A FAMILY FROM Africa, residing in Co Limerick, are in mourning after their three-year old daughter died in a horrific road crash on a stretch of the M20 last night.
The little girl suffered fatal head injuries in the crash which took place between Adare and Patrickswell at around 4.45pm yesterday.
The girl’s twin brother and her parents, who were also traveling in the car, were not seriously injured.
The family, said to be from the Democratic Republic of Congo, had been living in Limerick city, but they had recently moved to Abbeyfeale, situated close to the Limerick- Kerry border.
The family’s car, driven by the girl’s mother, is understood to have swerved to try to avoid another car after it had mounted the motorway’s central reservation barrier. It’s believed this car had swerved to avoid another car.
The Congo family’s car “barrel rolled” a number of times before coming to a rest on its roof. The little girl was thrown from the car in the incident.
Emergency services first responders tried desperately to save the girl’s life, however she was pronounced dead a short time later at University Hospital Limerick, after paramedics rushed her there by ambulance.
Three men who were traveling in the other car were taken to hospital but were not seriously injured.
“It’s very sad”
A friend of the Congolese family said:
“It’s very sad. They are a quiet and respectful family. They could not find accommodation in Limerick city so they moved to Abbeyfeale about six or seven months ago.”
Members of the wider Congo community here have been providing support to the family.
A large gathering of fellow countrymen and women travelled to Limerick from other parts of the country last night and rallied around the family who were brought to University Hospital Limerick following the fatal crash.
Abbeyfeale Sinn Fein councillor Seamus Browne said:
I want to pass on my sympathies to the family. It is a terrible tragedy. If we can be of any assistance or supply any supports to them we’ll do that.
FIanna Fail party spokesman on justice, Niall Collins, who lives close to the scene of the crash in Patrickswell, said:
There has been a number of fatalities on this stretch of the motorway over the years. Given the weekends events, I’ll be asking the National Roads Authority to review this section of motorway, with a view to carrying out a safety audit.
“I want to express my sympathies with the family and those injured in the crash,” Deputy Collins added.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie this afternoon, Independent Limerick councillor Emmett O’Brien from nearby Pallaskenry said that the community was in shock following the incident.
“Everyone’s just obviously shook and people are very upset,” said O’Brien.
“I extend my deepest sympathies to the family for the bereavement.”
O’Brien said that he had attended a charity cycle this morning in aid of the Alzheimer’s unit in Adare and people were very shocked.
“We had a minute silence this morning before the cycle,” he said.
According to sources, the girl’s twin brother suffered “minor head and facial injuries” in the incident but was not seriously injured.
Gardai closed off the motorway for several hours yesterday to examine the scene and cars involved, and the road has since fully reopened.
Gardai at Roxboro Road, Limerick, have appealed for witnesses to contact them on 061-214340.
With reporting from Cormac Fitzgerald
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
So Bill Cosby is an suspected racist rapist now????…..
Sure all written media is black and white,
Unless you have coloured print….
He brings up the black media but they have as much interest in the black women who were allegedly assaulted.
Does this smell like to chloroform to you?
So he thinks black media treats him nicer than general media…
Is he implying that general media treats him negatively because he’s black? As in he considers this a race issue?
I’d be more inclined to say that black media is reluctant to call him a rapist, because it itself is racist in favour of blacks.
Regardless, it’s a smart move for him to say that, the pragressives won’t know what to do. Continue calling him a rapist out of fear of being labeled a rape apologist by their peers or stop slamming him out of fear of being called a racist.
But wouldn’t the black media actually be reluctant to call him a rapist, in case they were accused of simply calling him a rapist to avoid being accused of racism because they refused to call him a rapist because he’s black?
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN????
Tis a tad confusing to say the least.
He is the one that brought race into it, some people are so fooled and deluded……
Was it the same “black media” which upheld the standards when OJ was on trial for murder?
Let the courts try him
No David it’s not because these are new allegations and numerous
He sounds racist against white people.
When did trial by media take over the justice system jnstead of trial in a court of law ?
Alas Mark he actually cannot be tried as the Statute of Limitations saves him from a Trial. All that can be done is a civil case, which will never say he actually committed the crime, it will just say on the balance of probabilities that he may have and is thus liable financially, but will not be convicted or see any jail time.
If I ever get into trouble with the law can I use the black media to back me up?
Typical black man Mike. What’s that supposed to mean?
Chip on shoulder
Filthy pervert
Trial by media going on here. He must have pissed the system off somehow
Why is he bringing race into it hoping it will save his ass
I think that’s his indirect way of looking to the “Black media” for backup. Kinda makes you feel like he’s bracing himself.
It’s just J E L L O
have your say