LAST UPDATE | 19 Dec 2025

A WOMAN IN her 80s has been hospitalised with serious injuries following a five-vehicle collision on the M1 Northbound earlier today.

Emergency services attended the scene between Junction 7 at Julianstown and Junction 8 at Duleek shortly before 12pm this afternoon.

A woman in her 80s was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for treatment of serious injuries.

The section of the motorway was completely closed, which lead to significant delays. 

Gardaí said the nature of the collision required the full closure of the M1 Northbound. 

A technical examination of the scene has been completed and the road is now fully reopened.

While the road was closed, motorists were advised to expect significant delays and avoid the area if possible. 

Labour TD Ged Nash, who was among drivers stuck on the motorway following the collision, said he saw some motorists driving the wrong way up the hard shoulder on the motorway to get back to Junction 7.

In a post on social media, he described the situation as “absolute chaos”.

“First and foremost, let’s hope everyone involved is safe. In the end, that’s all that matters,” he said. 

Nash said no mobile signage was deployed at either Junction 7 or Junction 6 to advise motorists to avoid and divert, “even though Transport Infrastructure Ireland’s X feed (which hasn’t been updated in three hours) says the incident occurred a good while before I, and other motorists, got to this point”. 

“Some frustrated motorists now driving the wrong way, up the hard shoulder, to get back to J7. I’ve been on to TII, and others, to get some answers and updates.”

He called for the toll on the motorway to be lifted “to take the pressure off Drogheda”.