Thirteen killed in crashes on Irish roads this weekend

One of the vehicles from this morning's crash

Thirteen people have been killed on Irish roads this weekend.

Three 15-year-olds were among six people killed in a car collision in Co Cork last night. A seventh person remains in a serious but stable condition at Cork University Hospital.

According to Gardaí, two cars collided head-on near Ballinhassig, along the N71 between Bandon and Cork City at around 9.30 p.m.

Four men who were travelling in a rented Toyota Corolla were killed. They were named this afternoon as Mr Paul O’Donovan, (23), twins Gavin and Cian O’Sullivan (15) and Conor Coleman also aged (15). All four were natives of Kinsale, Co Cork.

A husband and wife in their sixties died at the scene. They have been named as Mr Denis and Nuala McCarthy, from Clonakilty, Co Cork. Their nephew, who was driving the Volkswagen Passat they were travelling in, has undergone emergency surgery at Cork University Hospital were he is described as stable.

Where is the Government’s Road Safety Strategy? Cork TD, Ms Deirdre Clune

The crash took place on the edge of the constituency of Fine Gael’s Cork TD Ms Deirdre Clune who was shocked by the weekend death toll. Speaking to

ireland.com

she asked where was the Government’s Road Safety Strategy?

"The death toll on Irish roads continues to be among the highest in Europe and this suggests problems with our testing system for drivers."

Ms Clune also expressed concern that speed continued to be a factor in many road crashes and urged the Government to enforce road traffic laws and increase speed traps.

In a separate incident in Co Cork a woman in her sixties died today after she was struck by a car yesterday on the Greenhills Court and South Douglas road at 5:40 p.m. She was taken to the intensive care unit of Cork University Hospital but died this afternoon.

In Co Kilkenny, 28-year-old Mr Anthony Quirke, from Co Carlow died after he was hit by a car while walking along a road at Coolcullen, near Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny.

The driver of the car failed to stop after the incident at 3.45. a.m. The 28-year-old pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Garda spokesman said a teenager was arrested at 9.00 a.m. today after a follow-up operation. He is being questioned at Kilkenny Garda station.

An English woman, who has not yet been named, was killed when the car in which she was a passenger was in collision with two other cars on the Navan to Kells road in Co Meath at 11.10 a.m.

Yesterday, Ms Catherine Walsh (31), a passenger was killed when the car she was travelling in crashed near Portarlington, Co Laois.

A Garda spokesman said the driver appeared to have lost control. The incident happened at around 12.15 a.m. two miles outside the town along Ballybrittas Rd.

A male pedestrian, Mr Gerrad Doyle (35), was killed when a car hit him as he was walking along the Naas dual carriageway near City West at 2.15 a.m.

Two men have also been killed in Northern Ireland road traffic crashed over the weekend. In Co Antrim a 64 year-old died when the vehicle he was travelling in crashed at Cushendall around 4.30 p.m.

Mr Colm Daniel McGookin (24), from Ballymena died when the car in which he was a front seat passenger collided with another vehicle. Four injured people in the vehicle were taken to hospital.

This weekend's fatalities bring to 299 the number of Irish people killed on roads within the State.

These fatalities bring to 301 the number of Irish people killed on roads within the State.