Honoured in death: Wicklow bridge renamed after garda who died warning of danger

CLARE KENNEDY, girlfriend of the late garda Ciarán Jones, and John Jones, his father, throw flowers into the river Liffey yesterday at the renaming of Ballysmutten Bridge, Co Wicklow, after the young garda.

Mr Jones (25) died on October 24th last year while trying to warn motorists about dangerous flood waters at the bridge, near his home in Manor Kilbride. There were fears that the bridge would collapse because of the rising flood waters.

He tried to direct other motorists away from the bridge but was swept away by the flood. His body was recovered at nearby Ballyward Bridge.

In March, Councillor Jim Ruttle, a neighbour of Mr Jones’s family, proposed at a meeting of the Baltinglass electoral area of Wicklow County Council that the bridge be renamed in honour of the garda.

Council chairman Councillor Sylvester Bourke performed the reopening of the bridge yesterday in the presence of Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan, members of Mr Jones’s family and Wicklow county manager Eddie Sheehy.

Mr Bourke said there was “unanimous agreement” among council members to dedicate the bridge to Mr Jones.

He had “heroically lost his life trying to help others”, he said.

“We remember him today along with all the other persons who lost their lives at this bridge and in this location as we officially name this bridge the Ciarán Jones Bridge.”