Inishowen community 'raw with grief' as young girl killed in Co Donegal crash

LAST UPDATE | 6 hrs ago

THE LOCAL COMMUNITY in Inishowen is “raw with grief” with the news of the death of a young girl after a serious crash in Co Donegal yesterday evening. 

The collision occurred between a car and a van on the R240 at Carrowmore, Glentogher, Cardonagh.

Gardaí and emergency services were alerted to the collision shortly before 6:30pm. 

The young child, who was a passenger in one of the vehicles, was fatally injured.

The female driver of the car, a male front seat passenger, and a female child sitting in the backseat of the car were all removed from the scene and brought to Altnagelvin Hospital in Co Derry. 

It is understood that two of those have been transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast for further treatment.

A priest at the centre of last night’s road tragedy in Co Donegal has spoken of the utter sadness as medics battled to help those caught up in the collision.

Parish priest of Carndoangh, Fr Con McLaughlin, said he will never forget the scenes which met him in the Accident and Emergency unit of Altnagelvin Hospital.

Fr McLaughlin said he was not at the scene of the collision but rushed to the hospital in an effort to provide comfort for those involved.

“In the community there is a shock and a disbelief,” said Fr McLaughlin.

“One can only imagine what the family are going through and I witnessed that pain in the hospital last night.

“The scene in the hospital was just so, so sad. You had doctors and nurses running around trying to do their best to help these poor helpless people. It is something I will never, ever forget.

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“I just wanted to be a presence there for the family and I did not speak too much but I just wanted them to know that we are all there for them.”

Fr McLaughlin said the people of Inishowen are once again suffering tragedy on their roads.

“I just can’t words to express how people will feel today and how I personally feel too having been involved in some of them in the past.

“People will rally but nonetheless we have one little child dead.”

Meanwhile, local councillor Albert Doherty told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the community has been left devastated.

“It’s terrible news here in Inishowen,” Doherty said this morning. “Once again, a local family have been challenged and have to face the loss of a loved one.”

He thanked the emergency services that responded to the scene and said that the community is hoping for a full recovery of the three others in serious condition.

“We offer to the family and the extended family our full support as a community.”

He described the road where the collision occurred as a very busy road.

The road remains closed for a technical examination by Forensic Collision Investigators, with local diversions in place.

Head of the Garda Traffic Corps in Donegal, Inspector Sean McDaid of Buncrana Garda Station, has appealed for witnesses to the collision.

He has appealed for any witnesses, particularly any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) to contact Buncrana Garda Station, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

-With additional reporting from Stephen Maguire

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