Man (29) dies after car crash in Longford

A 29-year-old man has died after the van he was driving hit a tree in Longford.

The incident occurred shortly before 2.30am on Tuesday at Ballinalee, a Garda spokesman said.

The driver was seriously injured. He was taken to Midlands Regional Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The road at the scene remains closed for an investigation.

More than 180 people have died to date this year in road incidents in the State, according to Garda figures - a similar figure to the number of fatalities by the same time in 2013.

Fatalities in recent days include a 73-year-old man who was hit by a car in Mayo on Sunday night.

Sean Coleman, a 55-year-old motorcyclist, also died on Sunday when his bike collided with a car near Watergrasshill in Cork.

Separately, a 15-year-old boy died on Sunday when the car he was travelling in hit a tree at Clondalkin in Dublin. Four other boys in the car, aged between 14 and 16, suffered non-life threatening injuries.