Mayo Coroner again calls for action to be taken on dangerous stretch of N5 near Swinford

THE Coroner for Mayo has claimed that those in authority responsible for road safety on Mayo roads have done 'little or nothing' to alleviate road traffic accidents along the 'infamous' N5 near Swinford.

Pat O'Connor, the Coroner for the district of Mayo, made his comments at the opening of the inquest of a 79-year-old woman who died following a collision between cars at a junction along the N5 near Swinford on August 21 last.

Margaret Conway, known as Peggy, of Drimcoggy, Shrah, Claremorris was fatally injured when the car she was travelling was involved in a collision with another vehicle at the junction for the old Sligo road at Cloonlara near Swinford.

Mr O'Connor commented that Mrs Conway, a mother of five and grandmother of 16, was unfortunately one of a number of road traffic victims who had died on an 'infamous' 3km stretch of road between Ballymiles and the junction at Cloonlara where she died.

As Coroner, Mr O'Connor has made numerous recommendations for this road to be upgraded to prevent further tragedies but he said he feels nothing is being done.

“Despite repeated requests by me as coroner and the gardaí and others interested in road safety it seems that little or nothing has been done to try and alleviate the serious issues that clearly arise in relation to that stretch of road.

“It is time those responsible did something about it rather than just hearing my voice unfortunately every few months in this court where deaths have occurred in relation to road traffic along it,” he said.

Mrs Conway's inquest was opened in Swinford Courthouse where evidence was given of the cause of death. Dr Fadel Bennani, Consultant Pathologist in Mayo University Hospital said the post mortem found that Mrs Conway suffered multiple injuries to her abdomen and pelvic area which caused massive haemorrhaging.

He said she did not suffer any head injury in the collision and found the cause of death was due to hemorrhagic shock due to acute severe soft tissue, bone and retroperitoneal haemorrhage due to traumatic pelvic and soft tissue injuries.

Garda investigation

Garda Brian Cosgrove, who is investigating the road traffic collision involving Mrs Conway, told Mr O'Connor that he expects the garda investigation to be completed before the end of February when a file will be sent to the DPP for direction.

As a result of the ongoing Garda investigation, Mr O'Connor agreed to adjourn the inquest to a later date when the garda file is complete.

He expressed sympathy to Mrs Conway's husband Pádraig who was present in the courthouse and to her children Maureen, Michael, Barbara, Pat and Caroline on their tragic loss as did Sergeant John Flannery on behalf of An Garda Síochana.

Mr Thomas Walsh, solicitor for the Conway family, echoed Mr O'Connor's comments regarding the state of the road as deaths along that stretch of road was becoming too frequent an occurrence in the coroner's court. He added that the family wished to thank An Garda Síochána and all the emergency services for coming to the assistance of Mrs Conway following the collision.