Gardaí appeal for witnesses to fatal Longford accident

Gardaí have appealed for the public's assistance in their investigation of a fatal traffic accident which claimed the life of a young Dublin woman.

Eva Butler (28) from River Valley Drive, Swords, was killed when the car she was driving was involved in a single vehicle collision near Ballymahon, Co Longford, shortly after 8pm on Saturday. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The dead woman's car was an 88 D blue-coloured saloon car and gardaí are appealing for any motorists who may have been on the Mullingar to Ballymahon road between 8pm and 9pm on Saturday night to come forward.

The young man killed near Trim in Co Meath on Sunday has been named as James Conroy of Kiltoome, Trim.

The 19-year-old died when a car he was travelling in struck a wall at Tullaghmedan, Drumree, Trim, at 10.50pm. The remains of the dead man were taken to Navan General Hospital where a postmortem was carried out.

Another 19-year-old, who was travelling in the car, sustained serious injuries and was taken to James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin. The accident is being investigated by gardaí.

The two fatalities brought to six the number of people killed on the roads over the weekend.

Mark Clare, a 22-year-old from Glenogue, Coolgreany, Co Wexford, was fatally injured in a collision in Gorey, Co Wexford, on Saturday evening.

Fran Mitchell (27) from Sea View, Redford Park, Greystones, Co Wicklow, was killed at 1am on Saturday in a single car collision in Greystones.

Christopher Hunt (33), Ardagh, Church Cross, Skibbereen, Co Kerry, lost his life in a single vehicle collision in Skibbereen at 1.50am on Saturday.

Julie Fitzgerald (70) of Aisling Manor, Balla, Co Mayo, was killed when the car she was travelling in was in collision with another vehicle close to her home.

The weekend fatalities brought to 219 the number of people killed on Irish roads so far this year compared with 216 for the same period last year.

In response to the continued rising death toll on the roads gardaí will mount a major road safety initiative over the upcoming bank holiday weekend focusing on all of the main arteries between Dublin and the regions.

Meanwhile, services on the Luas red line between Connolly station and Tallaght were disrupted last night when a Luas tram collided with a car. The accident took place at the junction of O'Connell Street and Middle Abbey Street just before 8pm.

The vehicle was hit by a Tallaght-bound tram and was taken from the scene by a recovery vehicle. The tram, which was also badly damaged, was taken out of service for repairs.