Thurles Information

Mr Sean Fitzpatrick with an address at Kilpurcell, Ballybrophy, Portlaoise, Co Laois, aged 22 year, has been jailed for 18 months, after he admitted to dangerous driving causing the death of a college friend, when they were both on a night out together, in Thurles, Co Tipperary, in March of 2023.
The accident occurred at College Green, Monakeeba, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court were informed that Mr Fitzpatrick had driven for more than a kilometre with the late Mr Adam Kirwan standing on the door frame, hanging out the driver’s door, with one hand on the roof of the car and the other on the open driver’s door.

Sadly Mr Kirwan, aged 20 and a former Laois minor and under-20 hurler, died when the car driven by Mr Fitzpatrick hit a kerb, after he misjudged a corner, in a single vehicle collision, less than 50 metres from their intended accommodation that fatal night, in Thurles town.

Both young men had been studying to become teachers and were attending, as students at Mary Immaculate College (Previously St Patrick’s College Seminary ), Cathedral Street, in Thurles.

Mr Fitzpatrick admitted driving with excess alcohol causing death and driving without motor insurance. Both men had been on a night out with a third college friend when they decided to move Mr Kirwan’s car from a car park in Thurles, in case the car received a parking fine, before they could retrieve it the following morning.

Both men drank pints of beer and ‘Jagerbombs’ (a shot of Jägermeister flavoured liquor, usually mixed with an energy drink), while watching a match in a local pub, before later attending a house party on the night.

Considered less intoxicated, Mr Fitzpatrick drove the car, however, his alcohol reading was found to be more than twice the acceptable drink driving limit.

Mr Kirwan clung onto the roof and the open door of the moving vehicle for the 1.3km journey (0.80mls) from the centre of Thurles to the house where they were being accommodated

Mobile video footage was played in court at the sentencing hearing, recorded by a third passenger, who sat in the rear seat of the vehicle together with Closed-Circuit Television video (CCTV) footage gathered by investigating Gardaí.

Presiding Judge Ms Catherine Staines sentenced Mr Fitzpatrick to three years in jail, with the final 18 months suspended. In sentencing the Judge stated that Mr Kirwan’s death was what resulted when people mixed drinking with dangerous driving.