A man, identified as Finbarr Coleman, lost his life during a lone vehicle accident that occurred after 1:30 am on Saturday at Ballynamona, Kinsale, in Co Cork. Mr Coleman, an individual in his forties, was one of six passengers in the vehicle, sitting at the back at the time. He was declared deceased at the scene of the accident. His body was then transferred to the Cork University Hospital morgue where an autopsy is scheduled to happen. Mr Coleman lived in the Dunderrow area.
The group was returning from a road bowling gathering in Kinsale when the tragic incident took place. The Irish Road Bowling Association, Ból Chumann na hÉireann, lost a part of their community in a devastating accident, as mentioned by their chairperson, Willie Murphy, highlighting that the event was heartbreaking. Mr Coleman’s journey from a joyful road bowling game to an unfortunate end highlighted the unexpected twists of life.
Willie Murphy recollected that Mr Coleman, an Innishannon local, was celebrating his friend’s victory in a final bowling competition and was on his way home when the mishap occurred. He mentioned that Mr Coleman, despite being a former football player, was passionate about road bowling. The accident indicates the fleeting nature of sports and life, Murphy added, expressing the collective sorrow of hearing such awful news.
The accident left a significant impact on the local road bowling community, prompting the cancellation of Newcestown’s youth county final planned to take place in the aftermath. Fortunately, the remaining passengers in the vehicle survived the accident, which was believed to have happened when the car lost control and collided with a signpost, followed by a tree stump.
A male motorist in his thirties was apprehended on spot, following suspicion of committing violations as per the Road Traffic Act. Currently, he is under custody at a police station in Cork, as per Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
The unfortunate demise of Mr. Coleman has escalated the fatality count to 109 on Irish roads this year.
The authorities are urging any potential witnesses of this mishap to step forward. They are especially interested in those who were travelling around Ballynamona between 1.15am and 1.45am on the past Saturday morning and may have recordable content such as dashcam footage of the incident.
Should anyone possess relevant information, they are encouraged to reach out to Bandon police station via 023 885 2200 or the Confidential Tip Line on 1800 666 111, or to visit any local police station.