THREE men have been hospitalised after they plunged 30ft from a bridge in Co Clare, Ireland in the early hours of this morning.

The incident happened at 3.25am at the Spa Wells bridge in Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare where the annual matchmaking festival kicked off on Friday.

It's thought the three men in their 20s are footballers who played for their clubs in the county championship during the weekend.

According to The Irish Sun, the men are believed to have suffered serious back and neck injuries which are said not to be life-threatening.

One of the men is understood to have suffered a fractured vertebra.

Police officers were on duty in the town when they received a report that a number of people had fallen into the water at the Spa Wells bridge.

'drop like flies'
Officers arrived within minutes and, following inquiries, established the men had plummeted from the bridge into the shallow stream 30ft below.

It's understood one of the men had fallen into the stream and the other two men fell while trying to rescue him.

The three are also believed to have made their way safely out of the water and back up to the bridge where they were found by gardaí.

Three ambulances arrived at the scene and the men were taken to the University Hospital Limerick.