MOTORCYCLIST’S LEG AMPUTATED

THE FATHER of a 34-year-old father-of-one who had his leg amputated having suffered catastrophic injuries in a motorcycle accident on the Taghmon to Wexford road on Saturday has appealed to motorcyclists to be extremely careful.

John O’Brien was driving on his motocycle at around 6.30p.m. when he lost control and collided with a car. John, of Templesheelin, Adamstown, was rushed to Wexford General Hospital before being transferred to Vincent’s Hospital in the hope that his right leg could be saved, but attempts to save it failed.

The road was closed overnight as gardaí carried out an investigation into the crash.

John’s father Michael said: ‘He was in and out of consciousness when I visited him in his hospital bed. He was barely able to move. He has no brain damage as he was wearing a helmet, but I could easily have been in a funeral parlour today. His two arms are broke. He can’t even hold a drink.’

Michael said he is just thankful that his son is still alive, before issuing a warning to other motorcyclists to be extremely careful on our roads. ‘I know it’s a very hard price to pay. John is after losing a leg and I’ve to get through this. I drive a coach and I see what motorcyclists are like. There are times where if I hadn’t stopped someone would have been killed and it wouldn’t have been my fault. If you use a machine the way it’s supposed to be used (you’ll be safe).’

John, who has three sisters, Claire, Marian and Patricia, is the father of a 12-year-old girl.

Michael said: ‘He is going to be all right; it will take time.’

John, who worked in New Ross for a time and in Wexford on the gas pipelines, was bringing a puppy to Wexford and the puppy was killed.