A protest over a lack of school traffic wardens (lollipop men/women) near a Limerick school came to a dramatic end yesterday when a car hit one of the protesters.

Mike Murphy was part of the group near St Brigid’s National School in Claughaun, Limerick, when the incident occurred at 8.30am.

Mr Murphy was lifted on to the bonnet of a silver car as the vehicle went to pass the protest. He suffered tissue damage to his right leg and was treated at University Hospital Limerick. A Garda spokesman confirmed an investigation was under way.

Locals have been calling on Limerick City Council to provide increased school traffic wardens in the area, and had been staging a peaceful protest yesterday over incidents of dangerous driving near the school.

“My mouth just dropped open,” said Sharon Lenihan, one of the organisers. “No one could quite believe what they were seeing. It happened so fast. Mike went to hospital and ended up with tissue damage on his leg. He’s out of hospital now.

“I called the Garda­ a week before to tell them what we were doing. They told me to remind them again on the morning of the protest so they could check to see if they could send resources down to us.”

Gardaí did not attend the protest but arrived after the incident. “People have a right to protest, and normally we would not interfere with that right to protest. I can’t comment on [Garda] resources,” a Garda spokesman said.