DAYS OF ANGUISH - HUSBAND AND WIFE KILLED, BOY CRITICAL, TWO INJURED

Tragedy struck The Avondhu area three times last week as the area experienced serious road accidents last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. William (Bill) and Sarah Jane Chapman lost their lives last Thursday, August 14 when the car they were travelling in was involved in a head on collision with a truck on the Mitchelstown-Ballylanders Road at Carraturk.

Mrs. Chapman (59) was driving the car and died at the scene. Mr. Chapman (60) was rushed to Limerick Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The driver of the truck was uninjured but was said to be in a state of shock. The road was closed until late that night as a team from Bruff Garda Station forensically examined the scene.

Mrs. Chapman is believed to have been born in England but relocated to her mother’s native Co. Limerick with her husband in 1991. Their funeral took place last Monday, August 18 at Glenbrohane Church following reposal at Ryan’s Funeral Home, Ballylanders.

The couple are survived by their daughters, Emma and Rachael, who also relocated from England to Co Limerick. Bill Chapman is well known in the Glenbrohane area, having managed a FAS scheme that played a big part in the renovating of the local community centre.

A popular couple of a quiet disposition, the Chapman’s will be sadly missed in the locality. One local told The Avondhu, “Bill called to Power’s shop at Garryspillane Cross for the daily paper and milk every morning. He was usually in good form and often came in the door whistling despite being in poor health of late.”

“It is a terrible tragedy,” Chairman of Limerick County Council, John Gallahue, told The Avondhu. The Ballylanders-based county councillor said the thoughts of the entire community are with the couple’s daughters.

“We can only hope they find some comfort in the coming days,” he said, “We have not seen a tragedy like this in the area for some time, and all we can do is hope we do not see anymore like it, either here or anywhere else in the country.” The accident was the second tragedy on local roads in as many days.

As reported in last week’s issue of The Avondhu, a 5-year-old boy is fighting for his life having been struck by a car last Wednesday, August 13 at Kildrum on the Mitchelstown-Ballyporeen road.

The boy was believed to be visiting his grandparents, Joe and Angela Mullins on holiday from Belgium with parents Christian and Sinead, who is a Mitchelstown native. He is reportedly in a critical condition in Cork University Hospital (CUH).

Three people were seriously injured as a result of a two car head-on collision that took place last Friday around 5.20pm in the Gortnahown area, at Caherdrinny, across from the Kilworth Military Camp.

The driver of a BMW vehicle was trapped inside the car following the accident. He was later freed from the twisted metal by the experienced hands of the Fermoy firemen, who transferred him into an ambulance.

The BMW driver’s girlfriend and the driver of the other vehicle were also seriously injured, but are now out of danger. The three injured parties, all in their 30’s, were taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital for further assistance. The couple in the BMW are reported to be local to the Fermoy area.

The weather conditions were dry when the accident took place. With gardai, ambulance and fire brigade teams attending the scene after the collision, the main road was closed for a number of hours, all traffic being redirected through Kilworth and Glanworth. This caused long delays and a huge back up of traffic in the area.

The garda forensic collision examination team was also called to assess the site and take measurements and proceed with a PSV (public service vehicle) examination.

The investigation is still ongoing and anyone who might have witnessed the accident is asked to call Mitchelstown Garda Station at 025-84833.

 

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