The family of a Kerryman who drowned while working on a bridge is taking a civil case against two companies who pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety legislation.
TJ O’Herlihy from Castleisland and his colleague Bryan Whelan from County Clare drowned in the River Shannon in 2015.
On August 29th, 2015, TJ O’Herlihy, Bryan Whelan and Paul Murphy were carrying out remedial works on Thomond Bridge in Limerick city when the steel cage they were in plunged into the river.
A safety mechanism on a crane which was holding the cage failed to operate.
Mr O’Herlihy and Mr Whelan drowned; Mr Murphy managed to free his harness and was rescued.
Nationwide Crane Hire from Limerick city and Palfinger Ireland Ltd from Tullamore, Co Offaly pleaded guilty to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act.
At Limerick Circuit Criminal Court on Wednesday, Judge Tom O’Donnell adjourned sentencing until October 7th.
Killarney solicitor Pádraig O’Connell has confirmed that the family of TJ O’Herlihy is taking a civil case against Nationwide Crane Hire and Palfinger Ireland Ltd.
Mr O’Herlihy, who was 36-years-old when he died, was the father of two children who were three and six months old at the time.
His partner travelled from Sweden for the court hearing in Limerick and in a witness impact statement she described how the family had been broken by Mr O’Herlihy’s death.
