Community 'raw with grief' after death of child in Co Donegal collision

Vivienne Clarke

Carndonagh Sinn Féin councillor Albert Doherty has said the local community was “raw with grief” at the news of the death of a child who was a passenger in a car involved in a collision with a van on the R240 at Carrowmore, Glentogher, in Carndonagh on Wednesday evening.

“This tragic accident has just confirmed the terrible news that we heard after the accident.

"There's been one fatality, three seriously injured and our local community once again is raw with grief and our local community just feel devastated that once again a local family have been challenged and having to face the loss of a loved one, it's terrible news here.”

Cllr Doherty told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that conditions for driving at the time had been favourable, but that the road in question has been the scene of previous fatal accidents.

“Unfortunately locally here in Carndonagh at the turn of this year, we had the tragic loss of a young man. And here again now, a local family are having to face the terrible, terrible burden of losing a loved one.

“So at this stage, news is still coming out. We do hope that those who were taken to Altnagelvin, we do hope that there's a full recovery and we do offer to the family and the extended family our full support as a community.

"And also I suppose I have to thank all involved in emergency response for their assistance with the family, and for the local community on this and on previous occasions.”

The parish priest in Cardonagh, Co Donegal has spoken of the shock and disbelief being experienced in the community at the news of the death of a child in a car accident on Wednesday evening.

Fr McLaughlin told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show that while he did not attend at the scene of the accident, he went straight to Altnagelvin Hospital where the scene was “something that I think I’ll never forget.”

“In the community there's a shock and a disbelief. Now one can only imagine what the family are going through and I witnessed the pain in the hospital last night.

"You see, pain is no stranger to the people of Inisowen as there have been so many tragic deaths. I remember being present in Buncranna when there was a series of multiple deaths there between 2005 and 2008. And once again, tragedy has struck our people, and I'm quite sure it revives many painful memories for many people.

“I just can't find words to express how people will feel today and how I personally feel too having been involved in some of them in the past.”