A man has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of a 51-year-old woman, who was killed after she was struck by a car having travelled from Dublin to Cork for the funeral of her uncle.

Michael Lucey, 42, of Derryvaleen, Ballingeary, Co Cork appeared before Cork Circuit Criminal Court this morning where he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Gobnait Twomey.

Lucey also pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated. The court heard that the quantity of alcohol detected on the date of the offence was 179mgs of alcohol per 100mls of urine. The offence occurred on 13 December 2022 in Ballingeary village.

Defence counsel, Elizabeth O'Connell, SC, said that it was an "awful situation" and that her client hoped that his guilty plea would be of "some ease" following the tremendous loss of Ms Twomey.

Victim impact statements are to be prepared in the case. The sentencing hearing was adjourned for the preparation of same.

Judge Helen Boyle offered her sincere condolences to members of the Twomey family who were present in court for the short sentencing hearing. Lucey was remanded on bail until the next hearing of the case on 13 February 2024.

Ms Twomey was a native of Ballingeary who had been living in Finglas in Dublin at the time of her death. The physiotherapist had returned home for the funeral of her uncle Willie when tragedy struck.

Her funeral mass subsequently took place at St Finbarr and Ronan's Church, in Ballingeary. Catriona, a sister of the deceased, told mourners that Gobnait cared deeply for people.

"Anyone she spoke to felt that they were the centre of her universe at that time. She was a magnet where everybody gravitated. She was great craic. And if there wasn't craic she made it happen.

"She was generous to a fault with him time, thoughts, words, deeds and especially her love. She wore her heart on her sleeve and what you saw was what you got."

Gobnait is survived by her partner Jay, her parents Eibhlis and Johnny and her siblings. She was laid to rest at St Gobnait's Cemetery in Ballyvourney, Co Cork.