Woman (80s) and man killed in two separate road crashes in counties Donegal and Cork

Total number of people killed so far this year on Irish roads rises to 66, up 15 from same period in 2023

A Garda road closure close to the scene near Aclint Bridge in Ardee, Co Louth, after three women were killed and two men seriously injured in a road accident involving three cars. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday July 21, 2017. Gardai said one woman, aged 39, was driving one of the cars, and the two other women, aged 69 and 37, were passengers. See PA story ACCIDENT Deaths Ireland. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
The collision happened at approximately 1.30pm on the N56 Ballina Road. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

A woman and a man have died following two separate road traffic incidents in Donegal and Cork on Tuesday.

The woman, aged in her 80s, died following a car crash in Falcarragh, Co Donegal.

The woman, who was the driver and sole occupant of the car, was taken to hospital for the treatment of serious injuries where she was later pronounced dead.

The single-vehicle collision happened at approximately 1.30pm on the N56 Ballina Road which remained closed on Tuesday evening.

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Local diversions were in place and forensic collision investigators have examined the scene.

Gardaí remained at the scene of the collision and have appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

“Any road users who may have camera footage (including dashcam) and were travelling in the Falcarragh area between 1.15pm and 1.45pm are asked to make this footage available to gardaí,” a garda spokesman said.

Meanwhile, a man in his 20s was fatally injured when his motorbike was involved in a collision with a van just outside Cork City at White’s Cross, Ballynahina on the main Cork to Carrignavar road.

The collision happened at around 6pm and the emergency services were alerted. Gardaí and fire brigade as well as paramedics attended but the man was pronounced dead by a doctor at the scene.

It’s understood that the man’s body was due to be removed to the morgue at Cork University Hospital where a postmortem will take place on Wednesday.

The driver of the van is not believed to have been seriously injured in the collision but it’s understood that he was treated for shock at the scene by paramedics.

Gardaí have appealed to anyone who was travelling on the road at Ballinahina including motorists who may have dashcam footage to contact them at Mayfield Garda station on 021 455 8510.

It is the second fatality in Cork in three days involving a motorcyclist and follows the death of father-of-three Niall Murphy in a single vehicle crash on the main Cork to Kanturk road on Sunday.

Tuesday’s fatalities brings the number of deaths on Irish roads so far this year to 66, an increase of 15 when compared to the same period last year.

The majority of deaths on roads this year were drivers (27), followed by passengers (19) and pedestrians (12).

Six fatalities were motorcyclists while the remaining two were cyclists.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times

Jack White

Jack White

Jack White is a reporter for The Irish Times