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Irish government condemns burning of hotel set to house asylum seekers

Suspected arson attack at Ross Lake House hotel in Galway called a sinister attempt at intimidation

A suspected arson attack has wrecked a hotel in County Galway that was being prepared to host 70 asylum seekers, in the latest sign of a backlash against refugees in Ireland .

The Irish government on Monday condemned the burning of the Ross Lake House hotel in Rosscahill as a sinister attempt at intimidation.

However, two councillors from the ruling Fianna Fáil party said government policy had inundated Ireland with refugees and driven people to take drastic action – a view once confined to fringe far-right groups.

Protesters picketed at the disused hotel on Saturday, replicating a tactic that has blocked other attempts to settle refugees around Ireland. At 11.35pm a blaze broke out at the rear of the hotel and engulfed the property before fire services extinguished the flames. Nobody was inside the hotel or injured. Seventy male asylum seekers were to have moved there on Thursday.

Leo Varadkar, the taoiseach, said there was no justification for violence, arson or vandalism. The minister for integration, Roderic O’Gorman, said the blaze was “deeply sinister” and dangerous. “It was designed to intimidate people seeking international protection here in Ireland,” he told RTÉ .

An increase in refugee numbers in recent years has coincided with a housing crisis and fuelled hostility to asylum seekers, especially males. Sporadic arson attacks have targeted accommodation centres, and protests with placards saying “Ireland is full” have blocked roads. In September, a raucous rally outside the Dáil briefly trapped lawmakers.

A knife attack that injured three children and a carer triggered a riot in central Dublin last month after the attacker, a naturalised Irish citizen, was identified as originally coming from Algeria.

The government coalition, comprised of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens, and opposition parties have said Ireland has a duty to welcome and accommodate refugees.

However, some ruling party backbenchers and independent rural lawmakers have expressed misgivings and two Fianna Fáil councillors from Galway went further after the hotel fire.

“If it was a criminal act; what made that criminal act happen? It was the senseless policy of the government,” Séamus Walsh told Galway Bay FM. “If it was done maliciously, it was absolutely the fear for the safety and wellbeing of their families that drove people to this.”

His party colleague Noel Thomas said Ireland was “flooded” with new arrivals and that the government was ignoring concerns. “As long as they continue with their actions the way they are going at the moment, we are only going to see more of this,” he told RTÉ. Thomas attended the protest before the blaze and said it was composed of local people, not “extremists”.

Nick Henderson, the chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council, said the wrecking of the hotel was of great concern and the government needed to improve its communication about settling asylum seekers.

Earlier this month the government ran out of accommodation for asylum seekers – it also happened in spring – and offered tents, sleeping bags and extra money to about 200 arrivals who had to find their own lodgings or face sleeping on the streets.

Dozens of anti-immigration candidates are expected to compete in local elections next year. The former mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor has floated a possible run for the presidency on a platform of curbing immigration and crime.

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Irish actor Barry Keoghan hospitalised following assault in Galway

Irish actor Barry Keoghan was hospitalised after he was the victim of an unprovoked attack in Galway city.

The Hollywood star was found outside the popular G Hotel with serious facial injuries that needed medical attention in the early hours of last Sunday morning.

Gardaí were alerted to the attack and found Barry outside the hotel. Barry, who is the latest star to join the cast of Marvel's Eternals movie, had wounds to his face.

The actor was rushed to Galway University Hospital by ambulance where he was treated for his injuries before being released.

Despite the attack, the 28-year-old has not made a complaint to Gardaí about what happened on the night.

According to the Independent, the actor had been seen in the MP Walsh bar on Dominick Street in Galway city centre earlier that day.

Speaking to the publication, one local revealed: 'He was spotted around town a bit. He said he was down to see a few people he had become friends with when he was abroad," revealed one local.

'It was known he was staying up in the G Hotel, which is one of the poshest hotels in the city. But no one heard anything about any assault or anything and it was obviously kept very quiet.'

In relation to the attack, a Garda spokesperson said: 'Gardaí did attend an incident at a hotel in the Wellpark area of Galway City on Sunday August 15, 2021 after 3.30am.'

'An ambulance was also called and a man in his 20s was treated for non life-threatening injuries. Enquiries are ongoing. No arrests have been made.'

This attack comes just weeks after Irish Olympian Jack Woolley was the victim of a brutal beating as he was out with a friend in the capital.

He explained that things turned sour very quickly when a gang of young men and women began ‘violently’ attacking people along the River Liffey, leaving him covered in blood after a single punch to the face.

Ryan Tubridy has also recently spoken out about his own experiences of being verbally attacked and intimidated on the streets of his home town in Dun Laoghaire while out with his daughter.

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Irish teacher describes attacks on foreign students as US Embassy issues safety warning for Dublin

A teacher in Dublin has revealed that her young Italian students have been attacked in a popular tourist destination in the city

• 15:59, 26 JUL 2023
• Updated 20:32, 27 JUL 2023

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A language teacher in Dublin has described the sorts of attacks experienced by some of her students in Dublin. It comes after the US Embassy issued a security alert to tourists visiting Ireland following a number of media reports of attacks in Dublin.

Embassy officials explained that the warning was a reminder for US citizens to build good personal security habits while in Ireland and away from home. "With a number of recent incidents reported in Irish media, the U.S. Embassy in Dublin reminds U.S. citizens to exercise good personal security practices while traveling," the warning reads .

A Dublin -based language teacher has described some of the attackers experienced by her young students from Italy. Charlene spoke to RTE 's Liveline today and revealed that the students, aged between 14 and 16, are getting attacked and being offered drugs in Temple Bar.

Read more: Three teenagers now facing charges over attack on US tourist in Dublin

Read more: Sons of US tourist attacked in Ireland preparing to fly in after passports approved

She told host Katie Hannon: "Each day there are activities; they go to the Cliffs of Moher, go to Galway . Then you would have on the list an activity to go into Temple Bar. Unfortunately, I think what's happening is there are too many attacks in Temple Bar and I think it's going to be taken off the list unless there is something done in the next two weeks.

"I think what's happening now is they're having a bad experience. It's embarrassing. As a teacher, I feel for the next two weeks, what's going to happen?

"There's another flight arriving on Monday. Will they be attacked?

"There was an exercise where they write a postcard home. I was expecting to come out with the lesson plans that we spent hours working on. Everything was about Temple Bar and them being asked if they want drugs.

"One of the students got hit by a bottle. The glass smashed all over the floor, in the daytime."

Safety for visitors to the Irish capital has become a hot debate this week following reports of a number of recent attacks on American tourists in Dublin. 57-year-old Stephen Termini was on vacation in the city when he was attacked by a group as he left his accommodation in the Talbot Street area of the city last Wednesday.

He is currently being treated in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin and his condition is considered to be serious. The Buffalo native may lose an eye after the attack, his family has said.

A teenager was arrested over the weekend in relation to the attack. Meanwhile, a woman was hospitalized after an assault in Dublin City Centre, and in a separate incident, a man was taken to hospital after another violent assault and robbery near the Luas stop on Jervis Street in Dublin.

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .

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US tourist left with injuries after being robbed in Killarney while walking with husband

A US tourist was left with head injuries and a suspected broken arm after being attacked on the street in Killarney.

The woman was walking on Port Road with her husband around 9pm on Monday when the terrifying attack happened.

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The attacker fled with her handbag after knocking her to the ground but later dumped the bag after taking a sum of cash from it.

The Kerryman newspaper reports the woman is on holiday with her husband.

Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Niall Kelleher said there was a sense of shock in the local community after the incident.

‘This is a shocking and disturbing incident and we all hope she makes a full recovery,’ he said

‘Incidents like this are not the norm in the town and we hope that the person responsible is brought to account for his actions.’

Meanwhile, Gardaí in Killarney are appealing for witnesses to the attack.

‘Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to come forward. Additionally, those with camera footage or motorists with dashcam recordings from the Port Road area of Killarney between 8:30pm and 9:00pm are asked to provide it to Gardaí.

‘Anyone with information is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station at 064 6671160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.’

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Gunmen kill four, including three Spanish tourists, in central Afghanistan

No group claims responsibility for attack in Bamyan, which official says also injures seven people.

Gunmen have killed an Afghan citizen and three foreign tourists in central Afghanistan’s Bamyan province , the Ministry of Interior Affairs says.

Four foreign nationals and three Afghans were also injured in the attack on Friday when gunmen opened fire, ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said.

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Four people have been arrested, he said.

The Taliban government “strongly condemns this crime, expresses its deep feelings to the families of the victims and assures that all the criminals will be found and punished”, Qani said in a statement.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the late evening attack.

Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed that the three individuals killed on Friday were Spanish citizens. At least one Spanish national was also among those injured.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a post on social media that he was “overwhelmed by the news of the murder of Spanish tourists in Afghanistan”, offering his condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

Sanchez also said he was following the situation closely and pledged consular support.

The mountainous region of Bamyan is Afghanistan’s top tourist destination, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the remains of two giant Buddha statues that the Taliban blew up during their previous rule of Afghanistan in 2001.

Since taking over the country again in 2021 after the withdrawal of United States-led forces, the Taliban have promised to restore security and encourage a small but growing number of tourists trickling into the country.

Friday’s attack was the deadliest since the Taliban took over three years ago.

ISIL (ISIS) claimed an attack that injured Chinese citizens at a hotel popular with Chinese businessmen in the Afghan capital, Kabul, in 2022.

The European Union condemned the attack in Bamyan in a brief statement on Friday.

“Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims who lost their lives and those injured in the attack,” it said .

Attack on tourists rocks fledgling Afghanistan tourism sector

A n attack claimed by the Islamic State group which killed foreign tourists visiting a market in central Afghanistan has also dealt a blow to the country's nascent tourism sector. 

"If there is another attack in the next few weeks or months, Afghanistan's tourism industry will be over," said Joe Sheffer, founder of the Safarat tourism agency, which specialises in tours to the country.

He spoke to AFP after the attack by one or more gunmen on Friday that killed six people in central Bamiyan province, including three Spanish tourists. Another four foreigners in the tourist group were wounded. 

The Islamic State group on Sunday claimed the assault on the group of 13 travellers with a Spanish tour agency, believed to be the first against foreign tourists since the Taliban's return to power in 2021.

The Taliban authorities have touted improved security in Afghanistan ever since their takeover in 2021 ended their insurgency against foreign-backed government forces.

- Knowing the risks -

Bamiyan province, with its giant Buddhas dynamited in 2001 under the Taliban's first rule and turquoise lakes at Band-e Amir, is the country's leading tourist destination.

Sheffer said a couple of customers had already cancelled their trip and the company was reviewing its operations in Afghanistan. 

"We will reduce group sizes... We are cancelling itineraries in remote locations... We are reducing walking in public places," he told AFP.

Founder of the Untamed Border tour agency, James Willcox, said, "Of course, any violent attack on tourists will have a negative impact on future tourist interest."

However, he added: "We have been working in Afghanistan for over 15 years and there has never been a time when there has not been anti-government groups operating in the country. Sadly it is something that everyone that visits Afghanistan has to consider when they travel." 

In Bangkok, Phakhaporn Thantadakul, manager of the Away Vacation tour agency, wants to cancel a trip set for June/July. 

The group from majority Buddhist Thailand wanted to visit Bamiyan, once a major centre of Buddhist influence.

"I will check with my group first because the security is coming first. If anything happens, I cannot handle it," she said.

- 'Negative impact' -

The founder of travel agency Let's be Friends Afghanistan (LBFA) Noor Mohammad Ramazan said, "Questions flooded towards me from clients worried about safety" after the attack.

"Crowded areas and communicating with locals is the favourite part for the tourists in Afghanistan. But unfortunately for a while we will have to stay away from that," he said.

However, he said he believes the attack will not entirely end tourism. 

"We had lots of issues before in Afghanistan but still adventurous travellers want to visit," said Ramazan, who started LBFA in 2015.

French tourist Didier Goudant, who visited Bamiyan for the second year in a row on a ski trip two months ago, said he would hesitate to return now.  

"We knew the risk of terrorism existed in Afghanistan, but it seemed less in Bamiyan, a tranquil, welcoming region," the lawyer said. 

- Lack of infrastructure -

The Taliban government -- not recognised by any country in the world -- is keen to encourage tourism, though many Western governments have repeatedly warned against visiting Afghanistan. 

Though lacking in infrastructure, the beauty of its landscapes and legendary hospitality of its people have attracted a growing number of adventurers to the country recently. 

Tourists have started to trickle in since the Taliban ousted the Western-backed government, with official figures showing visits rose by 120 percent to almost 5,200 last year.

"The problems in Afghanistan is that we have gone from zero tourists to possibly 7,000, some people say 10,000 in the year," said Sheffer, the founder of Safarat tourism agency. 

"It's all been too much, too fast," he added.

"A lot of tour operators who started out in a very slow, extremely cautions way, using a lot of security techniques... a lot of those precautions have kind of been left behind because we are fighting fires in terms of organising infrastructure, organising transport." 

Sheffer predicts the Taliban government, which arrested seven suspects after the attack, will react by imposing more rules on tourists already required to register in every province they visit. 

"It will just make it more difficult for foreign tourists to enjoy the country," he said.

But, he added, it "will do nothing to prevent a repeat of the attack".

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Armed gardai in Galway raid three areas storming several homes over gang feud

The swoops come after concerns have been voiced in the wake of several violent incidents in the city

• 10:57, 13 SEP 2023

A number of raids have been carried out by gardai across numerous areas in Galway after a recent spate of violence plagued the city.

It is believed that three raids took place in Bohermore, Ballybrit and Headford road areas. It comes after a spate of violence this past weekend that made national headlines.

A number of garda units from Galway carried out these searches in several properties across the county.

READ MORE: Five men arrested and charged after massive brawl breaks out on busy street in Galway

Violent scenes across various parts of Galway city between Friday and Saturday came to a head on Sunday evening in disturbing incidents which saw four people hospitalised.

Two people were knocked down by a car speeding through a crowd of people near the Galway Shopping Centre on the Headford Road, while another pair also suffered stab wounds.

Gardai seized a number of weapons and vehicles that were present at the scene on Sunday evening and officers are aware of the main players involved.

An insider told Galway Beo : "Peace was made a few weeks ago and it seemed like some resolution to the feud had been made - but this was broken this weekend and any chance of peace may be gone for good now.

"This has been going on for well over three years now. The feud has seen everything from stabbings and shootings to petrol bomb attacks and car rammings across Galway and Mayo areas."

Galway Chief Superintendent Gerry Roche said everyone involved in these incidents of criminality will be pursued, and gardai have had considerable success in the investigations so far.

More to follow in this breaking story.

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Islamic State claims responsibility for gun attack that killed three Spanish tourists in Afghanistan

The terror group's affiliate in Afghanistan is a major rival of the country's Taliban government, and earlier claimed responsibility for an attack on Chinese citizens in Kabul in 2022.

Sunday 19 May 2024 21:18, UK

Islamic State has claimed responsibility after three Spanish tourists were killed when gunmen opened fire in Afghanistan's central Bamiyan province.

An Afghan person was also killed, and a further four foreign nationals and three Afghans were injured in the attack in the mountainous region, the Taliban's interior ministry has said.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram channel.

The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that three of its nationals died in the attack and that at least one more had been injured.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a post on X that he was "overwhelmed" by the news of their deaths.

Taliban spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said on Friday that four people had been arrested.

Islamic State's affiliate in Afghanistan is a major rival of the country's Taliban government.

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It earlier claimed an attack on Chinese citizens at a hotel in the capital Kabul in 2022.

Read more: How Western tourism is on the rise in Afghanistan

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Bamiyan province is home to the remains of two giant Buddha statues blown up by the Taliban in 2001 and the region is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Tourism in Afghanistan peaked in the 1960s and 1970s when the country formed part of the popular "hippy trail" route.

Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban has tried to promote Afghanistan as a travel destination - despite the fact many countries' foreign offices, including the UK's, say it is unsafe to travel to.

While the numbers remain small, their efforts appear to have so far paid off. In 2021, 691 foreign tourists visited Afghanistan and by 2023, the number had risen to 7,000.

McEntee offers to meet family of US tourist attacked in Dublin and says Ireland is safe to visit

Us embassy in ireland advises american citizens to keep ‘low profile’ when visiting city.

Stephen Termini: suffered life-changin injuries in Dublin attack.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has said she is willing to meet the family of Stephen Termini, the US tourist who sustained life-changing injuries a week ago when he was attacked by a gang of youths in Dublin’s north inner city.

Mr Termini (57), from Buffalo, New York, had been staying at a guest house on Talbot Street and was attacked on nearby Store Street last Wednesday night.

A teenage boy was charged in connection with the assault at a special sitting of the Children’s Court on Sunday.

The attack, which happened 100 metres from Store Street Garda station, has led to criticism of the Government and the Garda over safety in Dublin city, prompting moves to place extra frontline gardaí on the streets .

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Speaking to reporters on a visit to Castlebar Garda Station in Co Mayo, Ms McEntee noted that the Termini family are travelling at the moment but holding a meeting with them when they are available is something she “would be very happy to do”.

Earlier, the US embassy in Dublin issued a warning to American tourists travelling in Ireland to “keep a low profile” and avoid walking alone at night.

Ms McEntee replied by insisting that Ireland is a safe place to visit and is still at Level 1 in terms of US safety notifications, in common with other EU countries.

She said her message to prospective tourists would be that they were welcome in Ireland and that, for the most part, the country and its cities were very safe.

The Minister said she had lived in Dublin for a number of years in the past and was still out and about in the city regularly, without members of An Garda Síochána accompanying her. However, she added, this was not to diminish the concerns that people had about recent assaults, which she said were not acceptable.

The Minister said one of the best ways to respond was to have more gardaí on the beat. She promised there would be an additional 48 gardaí on patrol in the Dublin Metropolitan Region in the coming week when new members of the force are attested.

She acknowledged that staffing resources alone would not solve the problem and other measures, such as body-cams for gardaí and increased CCTV coverage, would be of assistance.

[  Dozens more gardaí promised for Dublin city centre in wake of attack on US tourist  ]

In a matter of weeks, Ms McEntee said, the Department of Justice would be unveiling a community safety partnership initiative for Dublin city centre. “There is a lot of work gone into it already,” she said. “The intention is that it will be replicated right across the country. It’s not just about Dublin. We want every town and village to be safe for people.”

Ms McEntee said generalisations that all young person had no respect for gardai were unfair and stressed the importance of engaging with children at a much earlier age in places where antisocial behaviour was emerging.

Defending her visit to Store Street in the wake of the attack on Mr Termini, Ms McEntee said she was there was to meet senior Garda personnel and have a discussion with them as to how the incident was being dealt with and to speak with them about policing in general in the city.

In its alert, the US embassy advised American citizens and tourists to “exercise good personal security practices” while travelling in Ireland. It said US tourists should safeguard valuables such as passports and credit cards.

“The US embassy Dublin encourages all citizens to be aware of their surroundings, especially when travelling in unfamiliar places, crowded locations, empty streets, or at night,” it said.

The embassy advised citizens to be “aware of your environment” and avoid walking alone, particularly at night.

“Do not wear or display expensive jewellery or watches and avoid carrying large amounts of cash,” it said.

The advice said people should “keep a low profile” and be mindful of how much alcohol they consumed.

It warned tourists to be aware of “snatch and grab” thefts of mobile phones while walking on the street. The alert said tourists should avoid putting passports, cash, mobile phones or other valuables in the outer pockets of bags, or leaving them on tables in public places.

“Most reported thefts occur at crowded tourist sites, at airports, car rental agencies, on public buses, trams, and trains, and at the major railway stations,” the embassy said.

The embassy told tourists to “avoid staring at your phone while walking in public areas” and to “limit earbud/headphone use when in public”.

Jack Power is acting Europe Correspondent of The Irish Times

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Gunman Kills Three Spanish Tourists in Central Afghanistan

One Afghan was also injured in the attack, which many expect will hinder the government’s recent efforts to lure foreign visitors.

By Yaqoob Akbary and Christina Goldbaum

Yaqoob Akbary reported from Kabul, Afghanistan, and Christina Goldbaum from London.

Three Spanish tourists and one Afghan were killed by a gunman in central Afghanistan on Friday, Taliban officials said, in the first fatal attack on tourists in the country since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

Four other foreigners and three Afghans were also injured in the shooting in Bamiyan Province, a serene stretch of valleys, lakes and ancient relics northwest of the capital, Kabul.

The shooting occurred around 5:30 p.m., when at least one gunman opened fire on the group of tourists as they left a bazaar in the capital of the province, eyewitnesses said. Safiullah Rayed, the director of information for Bamiyan Province, said the dead were Spanish nationals.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the attack, officials said. No group has claimed responsibility.

The government “strongly condemns this accident, expresses its deep feelings to the families of the victims and assures that all the criminals will be found and punished,” Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said on X .

The attack comes as Taliban authorities have tried to lure foreign tourists to Afghanistan in the hopes of bolstering the country’s economy and revamping the government’s image on the international stage. Western officials have slammed the Taliban’s restrictions on women and, nearly three years since the Taliban seized power, no country officially recognizes its government.

Last month, Taliban officials opened a government-supported tourism and hospitality institute to build up the country’s tourism infrastructure. They have also tried to assure tourism agencies that the country is safe for foreigners, despite the persistent threat from the Islamic State affiliate in the region, which has carried out sporadic attacks in Afghanistan in recent years and sought to destabilize the government.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Afghanistan was part of the overland so-called “Hippy Trail” across Asia. Foreigners were drawn to the country’s rich natural landscapes, centuries-old mosques and ancient relics. Bamiyan, where the shooting on Friday took place, is home to the remnants of 1,500-year-old giant Buddhas that were carved into the side of a cliff and that the Taliban mostly destroyed in 2001 under their first government. The province also boasts the country’s first national park, Band-e-Amir, a sprawling swath of rugged mountains and deep blue lakes.

Tourism in Afghanistan dwindled after the Soviet invasion in 1979 and the violent decades that followed. But after the U.S.-led war ended in 2021 and relative calm returned to the country, so too did some foreign tourists.

In 2021, nearly 700 foreign tourists visited the country, according to the Taliban’s Tourism Directorate in Kabul. That figure rose to around 2,300 in 2022 and reached around 7,000 last year.

The fatal attack on Friday will likely be a setback to the government’s tourism efforts. “This incident may scare other tourists who want to come to Afghanistan,” said Mohammad Saeed, the head of the Tourism Directorate in Kabul.

Christina Goldbaum is the Afghanistan and Pakistan bureau chief for The Times, leading the coverage of the region. More about Christina Goldbaum

LIVE: Man dies after double Galway motorway crash as victim hit after own smash

The man had just had an accident with his own car and was checking the damage when he was struck by a truck.

• Updated 13:41, 26 JUL 2023

Update at 1pm: One man has died after a double Galway motorway crash which saw the victim being fatally hit just moments after crashing his own car.

The man, who was in his 50s, had just been involved in a single vehicle collision and was checking the damage when he was struck down by a truck.

Gardai and emergency services are still at the scene of the fatal crash on the M6 near Athenry and are after removing the body of the victim with a technical examination taking place.

A Garda spokeswoman told Galway Beo: Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a fatal road traffic collision in County Galway this morning Wednesday 26th July, 2023. The collision occurred at approximately 5a.m. on the M6 at Ballygarraun West, Athenry, Co. Galway.

She added: "Following a single vehicle collision, the driver, a man aged in his 50s of the car exited his vehicle and was struck by a lorry. He was fatally injured and his body has been removed from the scene to University Hospital Galway where a post mortem will take place in due course. The male driver, aged in his 50s of the lorry was uninjured. A technical examination of the scene is ongoing by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators this morning and the road remains closed with local diversions in place." The spokeswoman appealed: Gardaí are asking anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Galway Garda Station on 091 538 000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.

For motorists heading in that direction, local diversion have been put in place, however, gardai are encouraging drivers to seek an alternative route, if possible.

Emergency diversions will be going on old road via Derrydonnell to Galway according to the Facebook group Garda Checkpoints & Speed Cameras Galway.

We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video from around Galway city and county. For the latest news and breaking news visit https://www.galwaybeo.ie/ .

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• The body has been removed 13:18
• UPDATE 1:20pm 13:18
• Witness appeal 13:01
• Garda statement 13:01
• The man had just had an accident with his own car and was checking the damage when he was struck by a truck 13:00

Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council spoke to Galway Beo

Cathaoirleach Liam Carroll expressed his "deepest condolences" to the deceased man's loved ones in the wake of the tragic fatal crash on the M6

The body has been removed

Update 1:20pm.

One man has died after a double Galway motorway crash which saw the victim being fatally hit just moments after crashing his own car.

Witness appeal

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Galway Garda Station on 091 538 000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.

Garda statement

A technical examination of the scene is ongoing by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators this morning and the road remains closed with local diversions in place.

Lorry driver

The male driver, aged in his 50s of the lorry was uninjured.

Following a single vehicle collision, the driver, a man aged in his 50s of the car exited his vehicle and was struck by a lorry. He was fatally injured and his body has been removed from the scene to University Hospital Galway where a post mortem will take place in due course.

Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a fatal road traffic collision in County Galway this morning Wednesday 26th July, 2023. The collision occurred at approximately 5a.m. on the M6 at Ballygarraun West, Athenry, Co. Galway.

One man, in his 50s, has died following the crash

Garda statement to follow

Parts of Europe may see catastrophic weather

Leading weather forecasters have said that parts of Europe could experience some of the most dangerous weather ever observed in Europe.

While the south of Italy, Spain and Greece all swelter in record-breaking temperatures, countries like Slovenia, Austria and northern Italy could be facing catastrophic weather.

Nahel Belgherze, a forecaster based in Grenoble, France, has said that the weather patterns for central Europe show an "extremely dangerous day and night" ahead.

Read more here .

Latest image from the scene

Unclear on injuries

It is not yet known if there are any serious injuries as a result of this collision on the M6 westbound between Junction 17 (Athenry) and Junction 18 (M17/M18).

Latest info on Athenry crash

According to a Galway City Council worker a: "Truck jack knifed just before the athenry exit and road taped off."

Latest garda statement on serious crash

Gardaí are currently at the scene of a serious road traffic collision that occurred this morning on the M6 Westbound near Athenry, Co. Galway.

The single vehicle collision occurred between Junction 17 (Athenry) and Junction 18 (M17/M18) at approximately 5:10am.

The road is closed between Junction 17 and 18 on the M6 and local diversions are in place. Motorists are advised to take alternative routes.

Eyewitness to the crash

One eye witness who saw the aftermath of the crash, said: "I passed this accident on way out of Galway this morning.Thinking of the families involved."

Latest traffic in area

"Traffic is now backed up to Athenry Golf Club from Derrydonnell filling station with all the traffic diverted from Motorway. Very slow moving @8.25am" a post on Garda Checkpoints & Speed Cameras Galway read.

Local diversions in place

Road closed.

Gardai have closed the M6 westbound between Junction 17 (Athenry) and Junction 18 (M17/M18) after a serious collision occurred this morning.

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3 Spaniards were among 6 people killed when gunmen opened fire in central Afghanistan, officials say

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ISLAMABAD (AP) — Three Spanish citizens and three Afghans were killed when gunmen opened fire in central Afghanistan, Taliban and Spanish officials said Saturday.

Officials had earlier said that four people died. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the Friday evening attack.

Seven suspects were arrested at the scene in Bamiyan province, a major tourist area, and an investigation is underway, said Abdul Mateen Qani, a spokesman for the interior minister, on Saturday. He said seven other people were wounded.

Qani did not give the nationality of the foreign citizens, but the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that three Spaniards had died in the attack and that at least one more had been wounded. A Taliban official in Bamiyan who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said that the four wounded foreigners were from Spain, Norway, Australia and Latvia.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on social media platform X that he was “overwhelmed” by the news.

Qani said that all those who were wounded have been transferred to capital Kabul for treatment and they are stable condition.

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said that it was deeply shocked and appalled by the attack on civilians.

“We express our condolences to the victims of the attack, and are providing assistance following the incident,” UNAMA said on X.

Blame for the attack is likely to fall on the Islamic State group’s affiliate in Afghanistan , a major Taliban rival. IS militants have carried out scores of attacks on schools, hospitals, mosques and minority Shiite areas throughout the country.

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO forces were in the final weeks of their withdrawal from the country after 20 years of war.

In April The Associated Press visited the Taliban-run institute training tourism and hospitality professionals in Kabul.

The Taliban is seeking to increase the number of tourists coming to the country. In 2021, there were 691 foreign tourists; in 2022, that figure rose to 2,300; and last year, it topped 7,000.

Bamiyan is probably best known as the site of two massive Buddha statues that were carved into the cliff face between the 4th and 6th century and which were destroyed by the Taliban at al-Qaida’s urging in early 2001.