The location where RTÉ recorded a man falling on ice

Filming Location Dublin City, Dublin

This is the location where RTÉ recorded its viral news clip of a man slipping on ice.

It is situated outside St. Michan's Church on Church Street, Dublin.

News clip

On January 8, 2010, RTÉ cameraman Colm McCaughey was recording footage of an icy footpath near the Four Courts when a man slipped and hit the ground.

Then and now — A "then and now" comparison. The screenshot at the top was taken from the news footage. The Google Street View image at the bottom is from July 2022. The red circle highlights the exact spot where he fell.

When the man fell, McCaughey and the other crew members rushed over to check if he was okay.

Although he was "a bit shook," he wasn't seriously hurt.

The crew only realized the camera had captured the incident after the man left.

The Big Freeze

At the time, Ireland was experiencing one of its coldest winters in decades. Schools closed, and water pipes burst. There had also been a significant amount of snowfall the day before.

Colm McCaughey — McCaughey (top-left) was filming for a report by RTÉ correspondent John Kilraine. The clip aired on Six One News as part of RTÉ's coverage of the "Big Freeze."

The wintry conditions, combined with a shortage of rock salt, left Dublin City Council struggling to keep the roads and footpaths ice-free.

By January, the situation had become so hazardous that the council was forced to hire private contractors to clear footpaths around the city.

Aftermath

RTÉ used the clip at the start of a news segment about a potential rise in personal injury claims.

Many viewers were surprised by the footage.

As Ireland's national broadcaster, RTÉ usually avoids airing content that the public might consider shocking or in poor taste.

Social media users immediately expressed their amusement at the clip. Within minutes, the video went viral on websites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Bebo.

The man has never come forward or been identified. Following the fall, he politely declined the crew's offer of a cup of tea and left the scene.

Consequently, he became known only as "the man who slipped on ice."

In January 2020, Coors Light marked the 10th anniversary of the fall by installing a commemorative plaque on the wall outside St. Michan's Church.

However, Google Street View images show that the plaque had been removed by May 2021. It is unclear whether the company installed the plaque only for a promotional photograph.