The driver of a car and passersby had a lucky escape in a Co Kilkenny village at the weekend after a tractor crashed into a car.
The tractor, which was pulling a trailer of silage, was being driven by a teenage boy at the time of the incident in Graiguenamanagh at 5.30pm on Saturday.
The tractor had just come over one of the country’s oldest seven-arch bridges which joins Co Carlow to Co Kilkenny along the river Barrow.
The owner of the Dacia car had got out of the vehicle shortly before the incident happened on the town’s Lower Main Street.
The impact resulted in a pole being driven into the Duiske pub and restaurant, sending those inside scattering. The car was parked close to the premises and Doran’s Supervalu supermarket.
The street was busy at the time of the incident and several vehicles had stopped at traffic lights to allow others to pass along the narrow street.
“It could have been complete carnage. The street was busy at the time due to locals and visitors making the most of the good weather along the river Barrow,” said a local person who was in the area at the time.
“It is unbelievable that someone, or several people, were not seriously injured. The owner of the car is a lucky man.”
The street was cordoned off for a time to allow gardaí and other emergency services to carry out work at the scene.
In a statement, An Garda Síochána said “no injuries” were reported and “no arrests” had been made in connection with the incident. Investigations are ongoing, it added.
It is understood the owner of the car and driver of the tractor are from the local area.
