AN urban district councillor yesterday became the third member of his family to die in a fatal accident.
Mr Peter Lynch (61), a father of two, died when a bread van which he was driving collided with a bus on the main Dublin Derry Road near Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.
A helper in the van, Mr Thomas Murphy (41), single, from Castleblayney, also died.
The crash happened at Drumquill, about two miles from the town.
The bus driver from Co Dublin was taken to Monaghan General Hospital suffering from shock and minor injuries. There were no passengers.
Mr Lynch was a Fianna Fail councillor for the past 20 years and was elected chairman of Castleblayney UDC last year. He was also a member of Co Monaghan Vocational Education Committee.
Castleblayney councillors held an emergency meeting last night to express condolences to the councillor's widow, Maureen, his son, Raymond, and daughter Karen.
Mr Lynch was the third member of the family to die tragically. His brother, Charlie, was killed in a motorcycle accident and his son, Eddie, died in a car crash 10 years ago.