Man dies in multi-vehicle crash in Co Cork

One man died and six others were injured in a crash which happened near where a road race was taking place in Co Cork.

The deceased, who was in his early 70s, was the driver of an articulated lorry which collided with four other cars at Ballydahin, about 1.5km outside Mallow.

The occupants of the cars, three males and three females, aged in their mid teens to late 60s and the passenger of the lorry, a man, aged in his late 20s, were taken to Cork University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Dozens of spectators were close to the scene watching the Mallow 10 (mile) road race from a flyover when the southbound lorry collided with a car coming in the opposite direction.

Local photographer John Doheny said he and members of his family were watching the race when he heard a “colossal bang” from behind him.

“We could see the carnage on the road and a number of cars smashed on the side of the road,” he said.

Eyewitnesses said the lorry went out of control and hit three other cars including one towing the horsebox. The impact of the collision was so great that the horse was thrown clear of the box and died instantly.

The articulated lorry hit another car coming in the opposite direction before ending up in a ditch.

Mr Doheny said the road had been narrowed at that point with cones and signage to give the runners a bit of space on the side of the road.

“Had it happened about 10 minutes later or less the lead runners would have been along that stretch of road,” he said.

“You could have had absolute carnage. A number of runners could have been caught up in it.”