Gardaí last night launched a criminal investigation after a pedestrian in his 60s was killed in a hit-and-run accident on the outskirts of Cork city.
The body of the man was discovered by gardaí near the entrance to Mount Desert nursing home on the Lee Road on the northwestern outskirts of the city at about 5.30pm.
Gardaí had been alerted after they received a number of phone calls from passing motorists who had seen the man walking in the area and had been concerned for his welfare. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by a local doctor.
The accident led to major diversions in the area with traffic being diverted at Wellington Bridge at the city side and at Leemount Cross on the western end of the Lee Road.
It was expected last night that the man's body would be removed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital for a post-mortem either late last night or this morning.
Gardaí were able to identify the man as coming from the south side of the city and a family member was later brought to the scene to confirm the man's identity.