Couple killed in Cork crash 'were devoted to each other'
Crowdy And Both Co Jp Allen Where Ringaskiddy N28 Cork, Died Services Near On Berna Howard Emergency Picture: The
Tributes have been paid to an elderly couple who were killed in a horrific multi-vehicle crash in Cork.
John Patrick (JP or John) Allen, 83, and his wife, Berna (Bernadette), 82, died when the car he was driving was involved in a head-on collision with a car transporter on a stretch of the N28, between the Shannon Park roundabout and Shanbally village on Tuesday morning.
The couple, who were said to have been devoted to each other, lived in Glenwood, a housing estate in Carrigaline, less than 1km away. Tragically, they died on a sweeping bend close to Raffeen Creek Golf Club, where both were hugely respected lifetime members.
Ms Allen is a former lady captain of the club and Mr Allen also held numerous positions in the club over the years.
While a garda investigation into the cause of the incident is underway, it is hoped that an autopsy may be able to shed light on whether Mr Allen suffered some form of medical episode in the moments before the collision.
Local Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath described the incident as a “dreadful tragedy”. He said:
"It is just terribly sad news and we extend our deepest sympathies to the family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them."
The collision occurred at around 11am on Tuesday, when the Allens were driving east towards Haulbowline Park and the driver of the transporter was travelling west towards the Shannon Park roundabout.
The driver of the truck tried to take evasive action, but the collision could not be avoided.
His articulated vehicle then flipped onto its side, sending some of the vehicles from its trailer careering across the road, and debris flying through the air.
The truck’s cab came to rest lying in a ditch on one side of the road, while the trailer came to rest blocking the entire road.
The alarm was raised by an off-duty member of the Naval Service, which is headquartered at Haulbowline a few kilometres east, who came upon the scene and who informed the emergency services of the scale and seriousness of the incident.
There were scenes of devastation across the crash site as emergency service workers, including gardaí, firefighters from the Cork County Fire Service at Carrigaline and Crosshaven, and a fleet of up to five ambulances, arrived within minutes.
Mr Allen had died almost instantly.
Mrs Allen was alive when emergency services arrived but, despite their best efforts to save her, she died at the scene a short time later.
The driver of a second car which was struck during the collision was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital for treatment for serious but non-life threatening injuries.
The driver of the transporter and the driver of a third car which was also involved in the collision were both medically assessed at the scene, but did not require hospital treatment for their physical injuries.
Both were said to have been extremely shocked and traumatised by the incident.
This section of the N28, which leads to the major employment hub of Ringaskiddy, to the Port of Cork, to the National Maritime College, and to the Haulbowline Naval Base, was closed for several hours to facilitate the initial emergency response, a detailed examination by garda forensic road traffic collision investigators, and for the removal of the damaged vehicles for further inspection.
As gardaí tried to trace relatives of the deceased couple, some of whom are understood to be living in the US, arrangements were also made to contact the many large employers in the Ringaskiddy area, to advise them to inform their staff of the double fatality, and the subsequent road closure and traffic diversions.
Gardaí later appealed to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to come forward.
They are appealing especially to any road users who were travelling on the N28 in the Shannon Park area between 10.45 and 11am, and who may have camera footage, including dashcam footage, to make it available to them.
Anyone with information can contact Togher Garda Station on 021 4947120.