Tributes are being paid to a “gentleman” who has been named as the first person to die on Irish roads in 2026.
Francis “Franco” Kelly from Longford town died after a collision involving two cars and a van in Edgeworthstown, Co Longford. The crash happened at around 7pm on the first Saturday of the new year, reports Breaking News.
Another man, also in his 30s, was taken to hospital where he is receiving treatment for injuries described as serious but not life-threatening.
Local residents described him as “an absolute gentleman”. In a message shared on social media, his partner Stephanie Nugent wrote “Love you always and forever, baby we will always be together, my boy forever”, reports Breaking News.
Further tributes were paid by relatives. His cousin Veronica Reilly posted on social media: “So unbelievably sad. Rest in peace Franko. God be with you cuz’’; while his partner’s cousin Bianca Stokes wrote: “Really is terrible, only a young man. Rip Franko, God help my cousin Stephanie & the children through this and his family’’, reports Breaking News.
Gardaí have issued an appeal for witnesses. Drivers with dashcam footage who were in the area between 6.30pm and 7.15pm are asked to contact Longford Gardaí on 043 3350570 and to provide the footage to investigating Gardaí, reports Breaking News.
Mr Kelly’s death marks the first fatality on Irish roads in 2026. A second death occurred on the same day when a man died after the car he was driving collided with a tree in Co Kerry. The incident took place at around 11.20pm on Saturday night, and the man in his 30s was pronounced dead at the scene.
These deaths come as Garda statistics show there were 179 fatal collisions during the year, resulting in 190 fatalities on public roads and in public places, including car parks and non-public roads, across Ireland in 2025. This figure is an increase from 175 in 2024, reports Breaking News.
Minister of State with responsibility for Road Safety Séan Canney said 2025 had been an “incredibly difficult” year, with too many families experiencing devastating loss.
He said this was a “stark reminder that road safety is not just a policy area or a set of statistics. This is about people’s lives, about loved ones, about futures changed in an instant”, reports Breaking News.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
