Girl who tripped at Donegal funfair awarded €80,000 for cut knee

November 26, 2019

A young Donegal girl who fell cutting her knee as she walked on the boardwalk beside a ride at a funfair has settled her High Court action for €80,000.

Leah Bonner was 10 years of age when she tripped and fell near the Waltzer ride at the fairground in Dungloe.

She suffered a laceration to her knee and the High Court heard today she has been left with a six-inch scar.

Leah Bonner, now aged 12 of Gweedore Road, Dungloe, had through her father Keith Bonner sued the fairground operator, John Ritchie trading as McGurks Funfair, Ballymena, Co Antrim, and David Thompson, trading as JJ and DH Thompson of Glasgow, Scotland which owned the Waltzer ride as a result of the fall two years ago.

It was claimed there was an alleged failure to provide any or any adequate lighting around the Waltzer ride and an alleged failure to ensure that wooden slats on the boardwalk did not present as a tripping hazard to those using it.

The claims were denied.

Leah’s counsel Declan McHugh BL said the child tripped on a wooden lath and caught her knee on another on August 5th, 2017.

She suffered a severe laceration across her left knee and was brought by ambulance to hospital. She was in hospital for five days and had to use crutches for a number of weeks afterwards.

Approving the settlement Mr Justice Garrett Simons said it was an unfortunate incident at a fairground and the young girl had been left with a scar.


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