Brigid was walking along a familiar public path in Kerry on a Tuesday afternoon when the ground simply gave way. The path had been excavated weeks earlier for repairs — temporary barriers and a makeshift surface had been put down. But the contractors had removed their temporary work without the council completing the permanent repairs. The excavation was still there, unmarked and uncovered, waiting for work that hadn't happened yet.
She fell hard, fracturing her wrist and badly bruising her hip. The first few weeks were painful, but the emotional weight came next. Hospital visits, physio appointments, and the realisation that she couldn't do the work she normally did. Someone had to be responsible for this. Someone had to answer for leaving a hole in a public path.
The investigation revealed what Brigid suspected: both the contractor and the local council had failed in their duty. The contractor removed temporary protection without ensuring permanent safety measures were in place. The council failed to supervise the site properly or complete the permanent repairs on schedule. Neither organisation had communicated clearly about who would finish the job. The result was that a dangerous hazard was left unguarded in a place where members of the public had every right to walk safely.