The Co Dublin Coroner, Dr Bartley Sheehan, has urged South Dublin Co Council and the National Roads Authority (NRA) to make the Lucan-Chapelizod bypass safer for pedestrians wishing to cross it. Dr Sheehan was speaking at the District Court in Swords, Co Dublin, yesterday at an inquest into the death of a journalist, Mr Brendan Burke (45), of West Oakland, Leixlip, Co Kildare. Mr Burke was killed when struck by a car on the bypass opposite the Spa Hotel, Lucan, Co Dublin, at about 10 p.m. on May 11th last.
The court was told by the deceased's widow, Mrs Nora Burke, that on the night in question, she and her late husband had been attempting to cross the road together. Mrs Burke had gone on ahead, reaching the grass verge in the centre of the road, but Mr Burke, who walked with the aid of a stick, had remained behind on the pavement.
When a reasonable break appeared in the traffic, Mr Burke attempted the crossing, but two cars suddenly appeared, "as if from nowhere", and although Mr Burke succeeded in avoiding one of them, he was struck by the car following, and was hurled on to the grass verge. He was pronounced dead later at St James's Hospital, Dublin, of multiple fractures of the head, back and legs.
Referring to the stretch of the bypass near the hotel, Dr Sheehan said he was "impressed by the frequency of accidents on this piece of roadway. People crossing here very often expose themselves to great hazards." A verdict of accidental death was recorded.