Two paramedics and a local pharmacy worker tried desperately to save a pedestrian who died of his injuries following a collision with a motorcycle on a busy Dublin road yesterday.

The horror unfolded around 9.45am yesterday when the victim, who was named locally as Michael Fitzpatrick and aged in his late 50s, was walking past a small retail complex on the Malahide Road near the Artane roundabout in Coolock.

He was struck by a motorcyclist who was treated at nearby Beaumont Hospital for minor injuries.

Despite the best efforts of the three men, Mr Fitzpatrick died of his injuries at the scene. His body was removed to the Dublin city morgue, where a post-mortem exam is to be conducted.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation, gardai said last night.

However, a worker at the DID Electrical outlet in the retail complex said workers had just arrived to start their shift when they heard sounds of the collision outside. One of its staff ran out to see what was going on and witnessed the horrific accident.

“Everything happened so fast. There were a lot of people passing by,” she said.

A worker at a neighbouring hearing aid store also witnessed the accident but was so traumatised that she had to go home, according to a colleague.

Local businesses praised a worker at a pharmacy who ran out and was first on the scene to give the victim first aid and “tried to save him”.

Meanwhile, a paramedic from the Dublin Fire Brigade was en route to a fire in nearby Baldoyle when they were informed of the accident and arrived at the scene moments later.

“He got stuck in right away. He did his very best,” an official with the Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) told the Herald.

The pair were joined by a second DFB paramedic who also battled to save the man for about half an hour before he tragically died at the scene.

Fine Gael Dublin city councillor Declan Flanagan, who represents Beaumont-Donaghmede, said the accident cast a pall on the area.

“My thoughts go out to him and his family,” he said. “It was desperate.”

The accident happened on one of the busiest routes in the capital, especially for traffic heading in and out of the city centre from the northside.

It led to major traffic delays in the area as garda forensic accident investigators examined the accident scene.

According to AA Roadwatch, local traffic was diverted to nearby Kilmore Road and Ardlea Road, which remained busy throughout the day.

A number of Dublin Bus services were also affected, leading to delays throughout the morning and early afternoon, according to AA.

However, diversions that were put in place were removed around 3pm and traffic in the area returned to normal, a spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, gardai last night were urging anyone who witnessed the accident to contact them.

“Gardai at Coolock are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward, particularly any motorists who were travelling in the area at the time and may have dashcam footage,” gardai said in a statement.

Collision

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Coolock Garda Station on 01-6664200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.”

The accident was the 17th so far this year in which a pedestrian has been fatally injured in a collision with a vehicle. To date, 96 people have been killed on our roads so far in 2019.

The grim figures come as Moyagh Murdoch, chief executive of the Road Safety Authority, is seeking an urgent meeting with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris over concerns that his plans to revamp the force will lead to a downgrading of roads policing. Ms Murdoch said roads policing must be maintained as a priority.

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