Road carnage continues as weekend death toll rises to six
THREE more people were killed yesterday on the roads, bringing the death toll for the bank holiday weekend to six.
Three of the fatalities involved single-vehicle crashes, the latest claiming the life of a 22-year-old near Fournaughts, Naas, Co Kildare, early yesterday morning.
The car in which he was a passenger overturned and collided with an embankment.
Gardai are not releasing the name of the victim until they have contacted his parents, who are believed to be holidaying abroad.
Officers in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, are also investigating the death of a young man found on the road between Athboy and Delvin yesterday.
Initial reports suggested that the 18-year-old, Stiofan Mellett from Athboy, Co Meath, was lying on the roadway. A car swerved to avoid him, but seconds later a van struck the teenager.
The driver of the van stopped at the scene and is helping gardai with their inquiries.
"We have carried out a full technical examination of the scene, and we are appealing to anyone who used the 13km stretch of roadway between Delvin and Athboy between 2.30am and 4am to contact us on 044 9348915," said Inspector Denis Shiels, who is leading the investigation.
Meanwhile, a motorist in his 50s died in a two-vehicle collision on the Malahide Road in Clontarf, Dublin. He was taken to Beaumont Hospital, where he later died.
The death toll over the bank holiday period is up on last year when two children lost their lives on the country's roads.
Fr Rodger Kinane (83), a former missionary priest, was killed when his car collided with a truck at the Horse and Jockey near Thurles on Friday.
Gardai in Co Wexford are appealing for witness following the death of teenager Mark Gilligan whose car went off the road at Annaghmore, near Gorey, on Friday.
The 17-year-old from Ballinabarney, Gorey, was alone in the car when the accident happened. Anyone who witnessed the accident is urged to contact Gorey Garda Station on 053 9430690.
Gardai in Co Clare are also appealing for witnesses following the death of 29-year-old Patrick Murphy from Cloney who died when the vehicle he was travelling in struck a ditch and over-turned on Sunday.
The accident occurred two miles from Tulla on the main Tulla/Gort road.
Also in Clare, an 18-month-old girl was recovering in hospital last night after she was accidentally struck by a car driven by her grandfather.
The toddler, who was rushed to hospital in Ennis in a serious condition yesterday morning, soon stabilised and was later transferred to the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick for further treatment. Her condition was described as serious but stable last night.
The youngster is understood to have sustained several broken bones as well as serious head injuries.
The incident occurred yesterday morning in the driveway of a private house in Kilkee in west Clare. It is believed that the child stepped into the path of the car as it was being reversed out of the driveway by her unsuspecting grandfather.
Last year, 32 people were killed on Irish roads in October, and this month the roads have claimed 23 lives already.
Despite renewed appeals from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the clampdown by gardai on speeding and drink driving, the road death toll for this year so far is 274 compared to 368 for the whole of 2006.
Meanwhile, in the North two people died on the roads over the weekend. A female pedestrian was killed when she was hit by a motorcycle near Newcastle, Co Down; while one person died and two were seriously injured in a crash on the Derry-Belfast road.
- Lorna Reid
