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.

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.

Two further quantities of oil laundering waste dumped in the area in the last 24 hours

Two cubes of oil laundering waste that were dumped at Stephenstown Pond last month. A further four were discovered there this morning.

Two further quantities of oil laundering waste have been discovered in the area in the last 24 hours.

It follows the discovery of 45,000 litres of the toxic sludge that was dumped on a lay-by on the M1 northbound, near to junction 20 Jonesborough and the Carrickdale Hotel on Wednesday – the largest incident recorded this year.

Yesterday evening a further 3,000 litres of the toxic waste was discovered yesterday evening in the Annies area of Kilcurry while this morning 4,000 litres of the waste was discovered at Stephenstown Pond in Knockbridge – an area that is becoming increasingly popular for the dumping of the cubes.

Louth County Council have hired a contractor to deal with the issue but at great expense to taxpayers.

Anyone who noticed anything suspicious in these areas in the last 24 hours is asked to contact their local Garda Station or Louth County Council.

Four hospitalised following reported hit and run near Drumcar

Gardaí in Ardee are investigating a reported hit and run just off the M1 motorway last night.

The incident happened on a link road between the M1 and Drumcar around 11pm, with four people removed to hospital following the collision.

Drogheda Fire Service were called to the scene and had to use cutting equipment to remove the roof of the car in order to free two of the four occupants.

None of the injuries are said to be life-threatening but Gardaí are anxious to determine whether or not another car was involved.

Anyone with information on the matter is asked to contact Ardee Garda Station.

Diesel sludge dumped in Haggardstown

A further 3,000 litres of diesel sludge was found illegally dumped in Haggardstown yesterday.

The discovery was of the toxic waste was made on the Marlbog Road, with Louth County Council quickly taking action to remove it.

This is the second time in the last week or so that diesel sludge has been abandoned in Haggardstown and follows a further incident at the weekend on the M1 motorway.

More diesel sludge founded abandoned outside Dundalk

A further quantity of toxic diesel sludge was founded dumped on the outskirts of Dundalk this morning.

The find was made along the M1 motorway.

Louth County Council are dealing with the problem.

The latest find follows a discovery of 3,000 litres of the fuel laundering waste at Haggardstown last week.

There has now been 27 incidents of diesel sludge dumping since the turn of the year with Louth County Council spending almost €80,000 thus far recovering and disposing of it.

Last year the bill for the entire year was €686,000 with 698 tonnes disposed of following 105 incidents.

Anyone with information on the activity is asked to contact Dundalk Gardaí or Louth County Council.

Plastic sheeting blowing along M1 motorway

AA Roadwatch are urging motorists on the M1 motorway to be cautious at present following reports that plastic sheeting is blowing along the road.

The sheeting has been reported on the northbound lane of the motorway between J18 Carlingford and J19 Ravensdale.

Please take care if in the area.

Be careful out there

Gusts of up to 175kph are expected throughout Leinster tonight with people warned to be cautious and only travel if absolutely necessary.

While conditions in Louth are not as bad as elsewhere, they are still treacherous with several pools of water forming on roads and some branches having already fallen on secondary routes.

There are also dangerous crosswinds in certain areas, especially the M1 motorway.

Tom Duffy’s Circus has also been called off due to the huge gusts.

Be careful out there folks!

Diversions in place at M1/A1 motorway

The M1/A1 motorway from Dundalk to Belfast is closed just outside Newry at the Forkhill roundabout following an accident (pictured above).

Diversions are in place, with the incident affecting both the northbound and southbound lanes.