Laois grandmother dies following road crash

A Laois grandmother in her 80s has sadly died following a road collision that happened last month.

Breda Heffernan from Ballyfin was a passenger in a car driven by her daughter on Monday morning, July 17 when they were involved in a serious collision with a second car occupied by two men in their 20s, on the Geashill to Ballinagar Road.

All were hospitalised following the collision, which closed the road on the day.

Mrs Heffernan nee McCann, sadly died peacefully on Tuesday, August 8, surrounded by her loving family.

She was the beloved wife of the late Owen and sister of the late Annamai, Pat, William, Kathleen, Miley and Marie.

She is mourned by her loving daughters Mary, Catherine and Oonagh and her sons Jimmy and Gene, son-in-law Declan and daughters-in-law Marie and Kathleen and sister-in-law Daisy, grandchildren, extended family and friends.

Her funeral mass was held on Saturday, August 12 in St Fintan's Church, Ballyfin, followed by burial in St Fintan's Cemetery.

Her family have extended their heartfelt thanks to members of the emergency services and all the staff at the Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore and all neighbours and friends who had helped in any way especially in the last few difficult weeks.

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The tragedy comes on the same week that the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána issued a stark warning that years of road safety progress is being undone as new figures reveal that road deaths in the first half of 2023 are the worst for six years.

By August 1, there had been 100 deaths on the roads, an increase of 11 compared to last year. The RSA warned the Irish public that, should current trends continue, as many as 168 lives will be lost on Irish roads this year.