Concern over series of 'strange crashes’ at busy junction between two Limerick towns

A CLUSTER of unusual collisions at Uregare Cross, between Kilmallock and Bruff, has prompted calls for an urgent safety review, following what Cllr PJ Carey described as an “alarming and unexplained pattern” emerging at the rural junction.

The issue was raised at the November meeting of the Kilmallock–Cappamore Municipal District, where councillors discussed a recent run of incidents that has left the area “a cause for concern.” The crossroads is located on the 512 which links to the two towns.

Senior Executive Engineer Trevor McKechnie told the meeting he was aware that “five strange crashes” had occurred at the same cross within the past year, several of them in the last two months alone. All involved drivers losing control without any other vehicle being involved.

“It’s very strange and a bit infamous at this stage,” he said. “You might expect one or two over a long period, but five in such a short space of time is unusual. It could be a greasy surface, it could be speed, but the pattern of it is odd. It may be a coincidence, but it definitely warrants investigation.”

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Cllr Carey said deploying a GoSafe speed-camera van would be a “nuclear option,” adding that enforcement alone would not solve the underlying problem. Instead, he pointed to a successful example at Penders Cross outside Kilmallock, where anti-skid surfacing and improved lighting were installed last year after a series of similar crashes.

“There hasn’t been an accident there since,” he noted. “That’s the kind of long-term solution we need, proper lighting, anti-skid measures, and clear flashing signage. Not just catching people on their way to work.”

Engineers are now expected to assess Uregare Cross, with councillors stressing that preventative action must be taken before more incidents occur.

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