Man whose dangerous driving caused death of Cork woman 'feels acute guilt at being alive'

A Ballingeary man whose dangerous driving caused the death of a local woman in the Gaeltacht village in December 2022 following two local funerals where he buried his father and she buried her uncle said he would be haunted forever by what he had done.

42-year-old Michael Lucey of Derryvaleen, Ballingeary, County Cork, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of 51-year-old Gobnait Twomey, and to charges of drink driving and a separate charge of dangerous driving.

Judge Colin Daly said after evidence was given in the sentencing hearing that he would finalise the matter at 2pm tomorrow.

The late Ms Twomey’s partner, Jay Ammari, said he always believed Ballingeary was the safest place in the world that Gobnait could have been and that she would always say that Ballingeary was home. He said: “Cork was Gobnait and Gobnait was Cork” and that, “I miss Gobnait every day.” 

Ms Twomey’s brother, Seán Twomey, said his sister was joyous and hardworking and that wherever she was there was laughter and that she was best part of everyone in the family. 

“She travelled to the farthest away places she could find. She wouldn’t walk if she could run and most of all she loved people,” he said.

Padraig Horgan who was injured in the collision in Ballingeary that night spoke of the impact of the night on him, not least witnessing the traumatic loss experienced by the Twomey family.

Garda Deirdre O’Mahony said the fatal incident occurred on Tuesday December 13 2022 at 1.10am following two local funerals in the village. Mr Lucey had buried his father. The late Ms Twomey had buried her uncle.

Parties from both families returned to Ballingeary that night.

“Michael Lucey drove his brother’s Hyundai car on Main Street, Ballingeary. He came upon and struck the group of pedestrians at the narrow turn outside the Old Forge Bar where there was poor quality lighting.

“Gobnait Twomey was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr Twomey was saying repeatedly, ‘God help me, God forgive me’,” Garda O’Mahony said.

Tested later, he was found to have 179mgs of alcohol per 100 mls of urine where the legal limit is 67 mgs. 

“His alcohol level was high,” Garda O’Mahony said.

“He showed great remorse and regret about the decision made to drive. There were no defects in the vehicle. It is estimated that his speed was 27.3 kms per hour (some 16 miles per hour) at the time. It was low – lower than the limit. He has no previous convictions,” Garda O’Mahony said.

Defence senior counsel Elizabeth O’Connell said: “On impulse or otherwise he took the keys from (another person) who was quite intoxicated. There was a confluence of factors. Everyone gathered around Gobnait Twomey that night was wearing black because they had all come from a funeral. They were offering condolences to each other and facing each other and the lighting was only partially illuminating the road.” 

Ms O’Connell said the accused was paralysed in shock and horror at the scene and had to be supported by others as he was collapsing to the ground. He said this would haunt him for the rest of his days.

“As he says himself, if he could turn back the clock he would but unfortunately he cannot. All he can do is offer his most sincere apologies. He will never forget it for the rest of his life and he appreciates they (the family and loved ones of Ms Twomey) will never forget this for the rest of their lives. He feels acute guilt at being alive after the dreadful and cataclysmic consequences of this,” Ms O’Connell said.

Ms O’Connell said that in terms of licence, insurance and condition of the vehicle everything all such matters were in order. She said he comes from a very decent and hardworking family.