M1 to close around Dundalk from midnight for repair work

Part of the M1 motorway will be closed in the early hours of tomorrow morning to facilitate emergency repair work at Junction 17 Castleblayney by ESB Networks.

To facilitate the work, it will be necessary to close the motorway northbound and southbound between Junction 16 Dundalk North and Junction 18 Dundalk South/Carlingford between midnight and 5am.

Traffic will be diverted off the N1 southbound at Junction 18 (Dundalk North) and onto the N52 (Dundalk Inner Relief Road). Traffic will re-join the M1 southbound at Junction 16 (Dundalk South). The northbound diversion will use the same route in reverse. 
The traffic management will be carried out by North-Link.

Motorists drive wrong way down the M1 to avoid truck fire

The remains of the truck that went on fire. Picture: Adrian McCourt

Motorists put their lives and the lives of others at risk this morning when they turned around and travelled the wrong way down the M1 motorway after a truck caught fire.

It is understood that a truck and its trailer caught fire early this morning en route from County Louth, between the junctions of Jonesborough (J20) and Ravensdale (J19).

Fire Brigade sources told The Irish Independent as they arrived to fight the blaze near the Ravensdale exit at Junction 19 on the southbound carriageway they saw cars coming towards them after they turned to travel back to the next exit and continue their journeys.

“It was a very dangerous thing for them to do and could have made what was a already a dangerous situation a whole lot worse,” said a fire brigade spokesman.

“A truck fire can be challenging enough without having to deal with head-on collisions on the way to it,” he added.

The southbound carriageway remained closed early this morning at Junction 20 Jonesborough after the truck fire which was first reported at 5.25am. One lane has since been reopened. No injuries have been reported.

Two people died earlier this year on the motorway in Co Louth having driven the wrong way down the motorway and Gardaí insist it should never be done under any circumstance.

Xerox traffic lights out of order this morning

The Xerox junction in Dundalk

The traffic lights at the Xerox junction in Dundalk are out of order this morning.

This is due to a power outage at the Marshes, which extends to Blackrock.  ESB hope to have power restored by 11.15am.

Motorists are advised to proceed with caution at the junction as a result.

This is the latest in an ongoing series of outages at the junction, which is one of the busiest in Dundalk given the amount of industry it links and its proximity to the M1 motorway.

Louth has the highest number of road collisions nationally

Louth has had the highest number of collisions nationally per population over recent years.

That’s according to new data compiled by the Gardaí and sent to the Road Safety Authority.

According to the report, there were an average of 1.6 collisions per 1,000 of population in Louth between 2012 and 2014.

Despite two deaths recently on the M1 motorway outside Dundalk, the study found that motorways were the safest roadways to travel on.

Local man killed in three-car crash on M1

A man, reported to be from Co Louth, was killed in a three car crash on the M1 motorway last night.

The collision happened on a northbound stretch of the road between Junction 15 Castlebellingham and Junction 16 Dundalk at around 10.30pm on Sunday night.

The dead man, in his 40s, was one of the drivers involved.

Three other people involved in the crash were taken to hospital, including a woman in her 40s who was brought to Our Lady Of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda with serious injuries

The driver and passenger in the third car were also taken to hospital but their injuries are not thought to be serious.

The road is closed this morning for a forensic examination by Garda investigators.

Traffic is being diverted towards Castlebellingham and the old Belfast Road.

Quigley and Beagan families ask for privacy in their time of mourning

The family of James and Marie Quigley have issued a statement asking for privacy during their time of mourning.

Marie (68) was found dead at the couple’s home in Rathmore, Hackballscross on Monday afternoon having suffered severe head injuries.

Her body was discovered by son Kieran as Gardaí made their way to the home to inform her of her husband James’ death in a fatal accident on the M1 motorway.

The 70-year-old drove the wrong way down the northbound lane of the motorway between J14 Ardee and J15 Castlebellingham before colliding with a lorry and car.

Gardaí are investigating a possible murder-suicide.

The Quigley and Beagan families issued a statement last night following the double tragedy.

It read: “We the Quigley and Beagan family would like to ask for privacy at this trying time.

“We would ask all media outlets to respect our privacy and let us grieve our parents.

“We would like to thank our extended family and friends for their continued thoughts and prayers.”

Couple named in apparent murder-suicide incident

The couple who died in an apparent murder-suicide in the area yesterday have been named locally as James and Marie Quigley, aged 70 and 69 respectively, from Rathmore, Hackballscross, Co Louth.

Gardaí believe James, or Jim as he is known locally, took his own life after murdering his wife in their home. The couple have four adult children.

Marie has connections to Beagan Transport in Dundalk while Jim worked in the oil business.

Ms Quigley was found dead at the family’s home at about 3.45pm yesterday.

The discovery was made less than two hours after the fatal crash that claimed the life of her husband on the M1 northbound carriageway between junction 14 and 15 near Ardee.

Mr Quigley’s car collided with another car and truck as he drove the wrong way down the motorway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The people travelling in the car he collided with suffered injuries and were taken to hospital. They were still undergoing treatment last night.

The section of motorway where the fatal collision has re-opened after closures last night as Garda crash scene investigators examined the area.

Ms Quigley’s body was discovered when Gardaí called to the family home to notify her of her husband’s death.

There were visible injuries on her body, including a number of head wounds. The investigation is now trying to establish if she was bludgeoned to death.

Gardaí last night said while the investigation was still in its early stages, it was being treated as a murder-suicide. Mr Quigley is the only suspect at this stage.

Part of M1 motorway closed due to fatal accident

A view of the tailback on the motorway following the accident this afternoon

There has been a fatal accident on the northbound lane of the M1 motorway this afternoon between J14 Ardee and J15 Castlebellingham.

The road has been closed as a result of the incident and Gardaí are on the scene. A man was pronounced dead at the scene with three others hospitalised with non-life threatening injuries.

It’s understood the car he was driving collided with a lorry and another car on the northbound carriageway.

Northbound traffic will be diverted off M1 onto the R132 (old N1) between Junction 14 & Junction 16 due to the incident.

Gardaí are asking motorists to avoid the area if at all possible.

Fire affecting visibility on M1

A fire near just off the southbound lane of the M1 motorway is said to be affecting visibility at present between Junction 17 Dundalk and Junction 16 Dundalk South.

Motorists have been advised to take cae when travelling along the route.

A section of the Dundalk to Carlingford Road (R132) is also closed as emergency services deal with a crash. The crash took place near to the Ballymascanlon House Hotel. Diversions are in place.

Part of N53 Dundalk – Castleblayney Road to be closed for a period of three months

Part of the N53 which will be closed for upgrade works for a period of three months

Louth County Council has announced its intention to temporarily close a section of the N53 from Barronstown to Hackballscross for a period of three months to facilitate road improvement works.

It is expected that the road, part of the main Dundalk to Castleblayney route, will be closed from July 1^st to November 30^th. Local access will be provided with diversions in place for all other road users.

Exact information on the closure will be confirmed when a contractor for the work has been appointed.

The road is being upgraded as part of the NRA’s 2016 Minor Works Scheme.

The upgrade will mirror the previous upgrade works on the road passing the likes of Fintan Callan’s Ceili House.

In a statement last year, local TD Fitzpatrick described the existing section of the N53 between Barronstown and Hackballscross as “significantly sub-standard with particularly poor vertical alignment.”

The new project will extend from the newly realigned section at Newtownbalregan to Barronstown, 1km west to the Hackballscross junction.

According to Deputy Fitzpatrick the works will “improve the route’s consistency and integration with the previously completed works.”

He added: “As well as enhancing the road safety and capacity, the improvement of the N53 has included overtaking sections and will lead to improved journey times and improved access from the north west to Dundalk and the M1 motorway.”