A community in County Donegal is described as being “raw with grief” following the death of a 7-yr-old girl and the serious injury of three others, including a two-year-old child, in a car crash that took place yesterday evening, reports RTE.
The accident, which involved a van and a car, happened on the R240 at Glentogher, near Carndonagh, shortly after 6.30pm.
A woman in her 20s who was driving the car, a man in his 30s in the front passenger seat, and the two-year-old girl in the back seat were all transported to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. All three are reported to be in serious condition, reports RTE.
There have been no additional reports of injuries.
The road remains shut this morning to allow for a detailed forensic investigation, with local traffic diversions currently in place, reports RTE.
Gardaà are requesting that any witnesses—particularly those who may have relevant footage from cameras or dash-cams—contact Buncrana Garda Station, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
Fr Con McLaughlin, the parish priest of Carndonagh, said no words can truly capture the emotions being felt throughout the local area, reports RTE.
He called the scene at Altnagelvin Hospital “something I’ll never forget”.
During an interview on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, Fr McLaughlin said the town is experiencing deep shock and disbelief.
“Pain is no stranger to the people of Inishowen as there have been so, so many tragic deaths,” he said, reports RTE.
“Once again, tragedy has struck our people and I’m quite sure it revives many painful memories for many people in Inishowen, as indeed it does for me”, reports RTE.
Local Sinn Féin Councillor Albert Doherty earlier expressed that the local population is “raw with grief” following the tragedy.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he noted that the road is heavily trafficked and serves as a direct route to the northern part of Inishowen from the Letterkenny region and Derry, reports RTE.
He also mentioned that the community had already been reeling from an earlier fatal accident involving a young man earlier this year.
“Locally, here in Carndonagh, this year, we had the tragic loss of a young man. And here again, now a local family are having to face the terrible, terrible burden of losing a loved one,” he said, reports RTE.
“Those who were taken to Altnagelvin, we do hope there’s a full recovery and we do offer to the family and the extended family our full support as a community,” reports RTE.
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