Significant injuries for ROK cyclist

WOMAN CHARGED WITH CARLESS DRIVING OVER COLLISION ON RING OF KERRY CYCLE

A CYCLIST on the Ring of Kerry cycle suffered serious injuries when she was knocked off her bike during the charity cycle last year, including a broken nose, damage to her eye socket, and 17 stitches on her face.

Driving the vehicle was Julie Flavin with an address at Apartment 2, Ard Aoibheann Aill An Phrachain, Furbo, Galway, who came before Kenmare District Court last Friday, charged with careless driving at Gortamullen Kenmare, on July 1, 2017.

The court heard that the cyclist was coming into Kenmare on the Sneem road when a car exited from a bed and breakfast and knocked the cyclist to the ground.

The court heard that the driver, Julie Flavin, thought that there was a break in the cyclists arriving and had pulled out – but that was not the case.

Her solicitor, Conor Murphy, said that she had waited for some time before pulling out on the road.

She was collecting her mother from the guesthouse as they were heading to a wedding in the town.

They did not know the Ring of Kerry was on that day and had come from the Molls Gap direction to Kenmare on the day in question.

The cyclist had emerged from a group of cyclists to the driver’s right when Ms Flavin was attempting to pull out from the guesthouse.

“There was chaos on the road that day,” said Mr Murphy.

Mr Murphy added that Ms Flavin was very upset by what happened on the day. She fully co-operated with gardaí at the scene of the accident, the court was also told.

She also visited the cyclist in hospital the following day as well to see how she was after the accident.

He said that Ms Flavin was not blaming the organisers or the cyclist, who was on the correct side of the road and that it was an issue of ‘carelessness’.

Judge David Waters said that it was not a disqualification matter.

Ms Flavin has no previous convictions, the court was told. She is a film and TV editor and has travelled to Greece to work with refugees .

Judge Waters convicted and fined Ms Flavin €250 for the incident.