Gardai have renewed their appeal for witnesses to the first fatal road traffic accident of the year, near Slane in Co Meath. It was one of three fatal accidents which resulted in four deaths at the weekend.
A man and a woman died in the Slane accident after their cars collided on the main Dublin-Derry road north of Slane just before 1 p.m. on Saturday. The dead were named as Ms Kiu Liu Wong (57), York Street, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan and Mr John Joe McGuinness (58), Dromin, Dunleer, Co Louth. A third motorist, who apparently came upon the accident and hit the rear of one of the vehicles, received minor injuries.
A woman in her 40s died in a collision between two cars at Drumsna, Co Leitrim, at 6.30 p.m. on Saturday. Her name had not been released by last night. The other driver was seriously injured.
Shortly after 7 a.m. yesterday, Mr Matthew McDonald (32), Ballydavis, Co Laois, died when his van overturned at Monasterevin, Co Kildare. Gardai say the van may have overturned after hitting flood water.
Mr McGuinness, who died in the Slane accident, was the former owner of John Joe's pub in nearby Stabannon, Dunleer. He was travelling towards Dublin with his wife and two of his children when his car was in collision with the vehicle driven by Ms Wong, who was travelling northwards.
Ms Wong was a widow with a two grown-up daughters. She ran a fast-food outlet in Castleblayney. Local people yesterday said she was a quiet woman.
Mr McGuinness was en route to Dublin airport where his son, An drew (16), was to join a school trip to Milan. Andrew suffered pelvic injuries. Mr McGuinness's wife, Breda, is in Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, where she is being treated for a broken arm and shock. Their daughter Maria (15) is being treated for broken limbs.
The couple's other children were being comforted by friends and family at their home. Carol (21) had just returned to work as a solicitor in London when she heard of the accident. She was flying home for the funeral.
A family friend, Mr Mickey Reynolds, said: "John Joe will be badly missed. He was well known for running the pub for 19 years. In 1995 he gave it up and went full time into contracting and employed a number of people. "He played with Stabannon Parnells GAA club as does his son Barry, who is 19. They are a very popular family and are just doing their best at the moment."
Gardai said yesterday there were no independent witnesses to the accident and they renewed their appeal for anyone who saw it to contact Navan gardai on 04621445.
Last year 463 people were killed in road traffic accidents in the Republic, down slightly from 472 in 1997. Saturday's fatal accident was also the first for the Louth-Meath Garda division where Operation Lifesaver was launched 18 months ago.