'Unbelievable damage': RTÉ presenter left reeling after elderly woman crashes into new home

By Ellie McCarthy
Published 31st Aug 2025, 16:28 BST
Significant damage was done to the property but thankfully the well-known designer and the driver of the car were left without injuriesplaceholder image
Significant damage was done to the property but thankfully the well-known designer and the driver of the car were left without injuries

The 'horrible accident' occurred just moments after he entered his Wicklow town home

RTÉ presenter Brendan Courtney was left in utter disbelief after a car crashed through the front of his newly-renovated home on Saturday night. 

In videos on his Instagram, Mr Courtney, host of RTÉ series 'Keys To My Life' was visibly shaken-up following the incident, which occurred just moments after he entered the house. 

"So basically, a very nice old woman ploughed into the front of my house tonight, smashed the wall. The wall flew across the street, smashed into my car, smashed into the house and has done unbelievable damage," the presenter said on social media. placeholder image
"So basically, a very nice old woman ploughed into the front of my house tonight, smashed the wall. The wall flew across the street, smashed into my car, smashed into the house and has done unbelievable damage," the presenter said on social media. 

Making the situation all the more disheartening was the fact that Mr Courtney had just recently moved into his Wicklow town home after it underwent major renovations in the last number of months. 

"I literally spent my entire life savings on this house," he can be heard saying in an Instagram story video.

Significant damage was done to the property but thankfully the well-known designer and the driver of the car, an 84-year-old woman, were left without injuries.

READ MORE: ALERT: Gardai issue urgent appeal as man, 63, disappears from his Dublin home

While gathering and reviewing his home CCTV footage, Mr Courtney shared further insight into the accident. 

Just minutes before the crash, he had returned home after visiting his sister and spent several moments standing in the front garden with his dog Nancy while scrolling on his phone, as seen in footage shared on his social media. 

It was after he had let himself in and got settled that the shocking crash occurred. 

Mr Courtney said, "I am so lucky. I'm so lucky for the support of all the lovely people. I'm so lucky I'm not hurt. I'm so lucky the dogs aren't hurt and I'm so grateful and lucky that the woman who was driving the car isn't hurt. She was in hospital for the night. She's out. She's a lovely 84-year old-woman, it was just a horrible accident."

He went onto thank Lark Rock builders who called to the house the day after the accident like "therapists" and "superheroes" to board up the damage on the outside of the house. 

Following concerns from his loyal fan-base, Mr Courtney was clearly touched at the support, saying, "Thank you. Thank you, everybody. I'm so lucky. Thank you."

Related topics:RTÉNational newsHousing
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