Five people have been killed in two separate crashes on the roads over the weekend.
Four members of Longford’s Nigerian community, three women and a 10-year-old girl, were killed yesterday morning when the car they were travelling in was in collision with an SUV, on the N4 near Lough Owel, outside Mullingar.
The driver of the SUV was taken to Mullingar General Hospital where he was treated for shock. His injuries are not thought to be life threatening.
The women who died were named locally as cousins Queen Esezbor and Fanny Oraweme Akenbor, said to be aged in their 40s, and Pat Jeti aged in her 30s Ms Jeti’s 10-year-old daughter Jessica was also killed.
The family were from Clonbalt Woods in Longford town, part of a 100-strong Nigerian community there. Known for its involvement in the Longford Tidy Towns organisation, the community is said to be in a state of shock.
They are understood to have been attending an evangelical church vigil overnight on Friday in the Finglas area of Dublin.
All four are understood to have been killed instantly in the head-on crash, which resulted in the woman’s car substantially breaking up on impact.
Gardaí at Mullingar have appealed for witnesses to the crash which they said happened at about 7.45am. They are particularly interested in speaking to anyone who may have seen a gold coloured 2003 Nissan Almera or a black 2006 Kia Sorento 4x4 travelling on the Mullingar to Edgeworthstown stretch of the N4 between 7am and 7.45am.
In Co Monaghan, an 84-year-old pensioner died today following a two-car crash at Cappog, Ballinode at around noon yesterday.
It is understood a car hit a ditch before rebounding into the road.
The injured man was removed from the scene to Cavan General Hospital where he later died.
The deaths bring to 92 the number of people killed on the State’s roads so far this year, about six ahead of the corresponding period for 2013.
Some 17 people have been killed on the roads this month, compared to 13 in June 2013.
