Widow settles damages action over husband's death at Galway Sportsgrounds for €500k

A widow from Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, has settled her High Court damages action for €500,000 following the death of her husband at Galway Sportsgrounds. Dolores Byrne sued her late husband Declan's employer, CDM Steel Ltd, and the Connacht and Irish Rugby Football Unions after he was fatally injured on the site in April 2008. Mr Byrne, a steel fabricator, died when a steel girder fell and struck him while he was realigning it as part of gym construction works. Mrs Byrne had alleged the defendants failed to provide a safe workplace and adequate safety equipment. The defendants denied liability, with CDM Steel claiming Mr Byrne's own negligence caused the accident. Mr Justice Kevin Cross approved the settlement at the High Court on Wednesday, describing it as a very good outcome. The case against another defendant, Portant Developments Ltd, has been struck out.