*Michael, James, Dan and Joe Garrihy pictured on Sunday after St Breckans claimed the U21B title. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography.
RELIEF has been expressed by a Lisdoonvarna family that managed to walk away unscathed from a head-on collision on Sunday.
On Sunday morning, two cars collided on the road coming out of Miltown Malbay to Lahinch, a number of miles passed Rineen with an oil spillage causing the vehicles to lose control. Subsequent to this, a safety alert was issued by Clare County Council advising motorists of the spillage. The accident was described by Mayor of Clare, Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) as “a head-on collision”.
Members of the Garrihy family were travelling to Dr Hennessy Memorial Park in Miltown Malbay as part of the St Breckans contingent partaking in the U21B football final with county councillor Joe (FG) accompanied by his sons, Micheal, Dan and James in one of the cars.
Dan lined out for St Breckans at corner back and collected his first U21 championship medal in an eventful day for the Lisdoonvarna family.
Speaking on Monday, Cllr Garrihy reflected, “when you walk away from an accident you realise how lucky you are”.
He paid tribute to the emergency services, fire units from Ennistymon fire station, Clare County Council’s Municipal District staff and passers by who assisted them in the moments following the crash.
Their valuable input had been clear to the county in the aftermath of Storm Barra prior to this, the former Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District noted. “The reaction of emergency services across the board are to be commended. It is good to be here talking to you today after that,” he said.
Among those helping were Cllr Liam Grant (GP) who works as a retained firefighter in Ennistymon who quipped that it wasn’t often the fire service give guards of honour to gaelic footballers lining out in county finals.
“It’s a good thing when you walk away with your three sons in the car and one of them goes on to win a county final three hours later,” Garrihy added. He offered his commiserations to Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) seeing as St Breckans beat Lissycasey in the final, “we made the desirable attainable as you say”. The victory marked the end what he coined “a rollercoaster day”.
Fortunately, no injuries were sustained by either of the travelling parties.
