Woman’s lucky escape as tree comes crashing down

Date Published: 11-Nov-2010

BY FRANK FARRAGHER

A WOMAN had a lucky escape in Claregalway during yesterday’s storm, when a tree came crashing down at a car-park entrance shortly after she had walked by.

The incident occurred at around lunchtime yesterday at the entrance to the old car-park near Claregalway Church around lunchtime.

The woman had walked by the car-park entrance, just before the tree came crashing down – ironically the tree had been identified as one of the three to be cut down this weekend on safety grounds.

Locals said that the woman had a ‘very lucky escape’ in the incident which occurred during the height of yesterday’s storm.

A side road was blocked at Ballagh, Bushy Park, after a tree also came down in the wind shortly after 3pm. The road was cleared last evening by a City Council crew.

Galway Airport reported no disruption of flights yesterday, despite recorded wind speeds of 53 knots (61mph). The wind was a ‘straight westerly’ – blowing in line with the runway – crosswinds can be far more disruptive.

Driving conditions were also reported to be poor at the scene of a three car collision at Ballindooley Cross around 2.30pm yesterday. One person was hospitalised with non-life threatening injuries.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.