Eight people, including two gardai, were killed in a number of accidents throughout the State over the weekend.
The two gardai were killed in Co Wexford early yesterday morning when their patrol car was in collision with an electricity pole and a wall. They were on their way from Enniscorthy to the village of Camolin where a row had broken out and gardai in Gorey had called for assistance at about 1.30 a.m. After travelling about half a mile, they crashed into an ESB pole and a wall on "a slight downward turn to the left". Nunnery Road in Enniscorthy, where the accident happened, was wet at the time. No other vehicle was involved.
The passenger in the car, Garda Richard Nolan (42), died at the scene. Garda Nolan, originally from Ballon, Co Carlow, was married with three children.
The driver of the car, Garda Ambrose Fogarty (27), single, from Terryglass, Co Tipperary, died in Wexford General Hospital at about 7.30 yesterday morning. He had been in the force for four years.
In Co Cork, two sisters were killed in a two-car collision on Saturday. They were Stephanie Kiely (23) and Karena Kiely (18), both of Atlantic Park in Youghal. The car they were travelling in was in collision with another car. The accident happened at 3.45 p.m., at Piltown Cross, near Kinsale Bay in Youghal.
The driver of the other car was badly injured and taken to Cork University Hospital, where his condition is described as "critical".
Yesterday morning, a man aged between 20 and 40 was killed by a train at Portlaoise while walking along the tracks sometime before 10 a.m. He was hit by a special train bringing Cork football supporters to Dublin for the All-Ireland Football Final. The Garda was called to the scene by Iarnrod Eireann.
Earlier yesterday morning, a man was found dead as a result of head injuries in Monaghan town. Mr Eugene Garrity (41), originally from Armagh and with an address at the Mullaghmatt estate in Monaghan, was found at about 1.30 a.m. lying at the entrance of a business premises on Park Street in the town.
Gardai believe he slipped in the poorly-lit area and struck his head, sustaining fatal injuries. Mr Garrity is survived by his wife, Ann, and two teenage daughters.
On Saturday morning, Ms Anna May O'Reilly (25), from Cootehill, Co Cavan, died in a fire at an apartment in south county Dublin. The fire, at Abbeyview in Monkstown, was discovered by gardai at 4.35 a.m. The fire brigade went to the scene and Ms O'Reilly's body was taken to Loughlinstown hospital. A man who was in the apartment at the time was treated for minor burns and smoke-inhalation at St Michael's Hospital in Dun Laoghaire.
Also on Saturday morning, a man's body was discovered in Co Donegal. The local man, who has not been named, was found at Tullan Strand, Bundoran, at 7.25 a.m., following a search by Bundoran Inshore Rescue and officers from the nearby Finner Army camp.
A young girl was involved in a hit-and-run accident in Co Limerick on Saturday night. The girl, in her late teens, was walking on Maiden Street, Newcastle West, when struck by a car around midnight. She was taken to Limerick Regional Hospital where her condition is described as good. Gardai are looking for witnesses to the accident.
