Gardai in Tulla are investigating a workplace fatality that occurred on a farm in Co. Clare yesterday evening (Monday, May 14), An Garda Siochana has confirmed.

The alarm was raised on a farm in the Magherabawn part of Feakle, Co. Clare, at approximately 5:00pm, a Garda spokesperson said.

The Gardai have confirmed that a man in his 70s was killed in the incident. His body was taken to Limerick University Hospital for a post mortem examination.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is also investigating, the spokesperson added.

Local publication The Clare Champion is reporting that the man was found in the yard of the farm by a relative.

The man who was killed was a retired builder carrying out maintenance work on a mini digger, a spokesperson for the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has revealed.

The 71-year-old retired builder was working in a yard a couple of hundred yards up the road from his house, carrying out maintenance on the mini digger, when he received fatal crush injuries, according to the HSA.

The accident happened sometime between 5:00pm yesterday and 1:45am this morning, the HSA representative added.

Farmer killed in quad accident in Derry

Earlier this week, a farmer who “dedicated his life to agriculture” has died in a quad accident on his north-west farm on Saturday (May 12).

The man, from Ballerin – a village just a few miles south-west of Coleraine – has been named locally as Hugh Henry.

The Northern Ireland Air Ambulance is understood to have attended the scene; however, Mr. Henry was pronounced dead at the scene.

SDLP MLA John Dallat told Causeway Coast Community News that the incident highlighted the dangers of the industry.

The entire community is reeling with shock following the untimely death of Hugh Henry in a farm accident involving a quad.

“Hugh was a very experienced farmer committed to agriculture all his life,” he said.