Man arrested for questioning on fatal Cork road traffic incident released

Gardaí are to prepare a file for the DPP after releasing without charge a 41-year-old man arrested for questioning about a fatal road traffic incident in which a woman was killed as she returned home following the funeral of a relative in Co Cork.

Officers investigating the death of Gobnait Twomey (51) in a road traffic collision in Beal Atha’n Ghaoraidh in the Muscrai Gaeltacht in mid-Cork early on Tuesday morning had arrested a local man at the scene of the crash for dangerous driving causing death.

The man had been arrested at approximately 1.10am on Tuesday morning and taken for questioning to Bandon Garda station where he was detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act which allows gardaí to detain suspects for up to 24 hours.

But the man was released from garda custody in Bandon without charge late on Tuesday night and gardaí will now prepare a file on the incident for the Director of Public Prosecutions, a garda spokeswoman confirmed to The Irish Times.

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Ms Twomey, a physiotherapist living in Finglas in Dublin, had returned home to Beal Atha’n Ghaoraidh for the funeral of her uncle, Willie Twomey, and was walking home with her mother, Eibhlis and sister Caitríona (52) when the collision happened.

They had stopped to chat and extend their commiserations to local man, Kieran Lucey (37), who had buried his father, Seamus that same day, and a friend and they were standing near the Old Forge in the centre of the village when a car careered into the group.

Mr Lucey managed to push Eibhlis Twomey out of the way before he was hit by the car and suffered minor injuries, but Gobnait Twomey suffered fatal injuries while her sister, Caitríona suffered a broken arm and a broken leg in the collision.

Both Caitríona Twomey and Kieran Lucey were taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital for treatment while the remains of Gobnait Twomey were also taken to Cork University Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Gardaí have appealed for any witnesses to the collision or anyone who can assist them in their investigation to contact them at Macroom Garda station on (026) 20590, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

Meanwhile gardaí in Macroom have also appealed to the public for assistance following a separate road traffic collision between a car and a truck in Millstreet on Tuesday evening at 5pm which claimed the life of a 31-year-old man who has been named locally as Dan O’Connell (31) from Old Coach Avenue, Liscahane in Millstreet.

The collision occurred near the entrance to the former Drishane Convent on the R583 which links Millstreet and Kanturk in North Cork and it’s understood that the driver of the car suffered catastrophic injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The road was closed for a number of hours to allow a forensic crash investigator examine the scene while the remains of the driver, who is from Millstreet town, were removed to Cork University Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Gardaí have appealed to anyone who was travelling the road at the time or may have camera footage including dash cam footage that can assist them to contact either Macroom Garda station on (026) 20590, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or at any Garda station.