Man (20s) dies in Co Cork road crash

Gardaí attended the scene of the fatal single vehicle collision that happened at around 2.30am in the townland of Rathanker near Passage West in Co Cork.

The driver of the car was fatally injured during the collision.

Two other occupants of the car were taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment for their injuries, which are understood to be non-life threatening.

The local road in Rathanker was closed and traffic diversions were put in place.

Garda Forensic Collision Investigators were today conducting an examination of the scene.

Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward.

Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling on the L2474 road between Rochestown and Monkstown, between 2.00am and 2.45am this morning, are asked to make this footage available to Gardaí.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Togher Garda Station on at 021 494 7120, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

It comes at the end of another bleak week on Irish roads in which six people died on the roads.

Two more people, a young girl and a man in his 40s, also died from injuries they received in separate crashes that occurred this month.

Rickie Devine (19) from Keash, near Ballymote, was killed in a single-vehicle collision occurred on the N17 at Ballinacarrow, Co. Sligo, shortly after 8.15 pm on Thursday.

His funeral will take place tomorrow at St. Kevin's Church, Keash at noon.

Tuesday was a particularly bad day on the roads, with three deaths from two separate collisions.

Darragh Dullea (20) from Clonakilty, Co Cork, and Cillian Kirwan (19) from Piltown, Co Kilkenny died in Limerick when the car they were passengers in struck a wall on Tuesday evening near Ballyengland outside Askeaton on the N69 Limerick-Tralee road.

They were both second-year students at the Salesian Agricultural College in Pallaskenry, Co Limerick.

Two other young students of the college were injured in the incident.

Mr Dullea’s funeral took place on Saturday, and a private cremation ceremony is due to take place for Mr Kirwan tomorrow.

Also on Tuesday, James Moyles (33) was struck by a car on Lord Edward Street, in Ballina, Co Mayo at approximately 6.25pm as he walked with his young niece.

Heartbroken locals said he looked after his six-year-old niece regularly, and together they enjoyed a daily trip to a sweet shop for a treat. The fatal incident happened as they were crossing the road

The young girl was also injured has since been discharged from hospital.

Local Councillor Mark Duffy said there is a dark cloud hanging over Ballina since the incident.

“James was well known throughout the community and you would always see him out and about. He was a gentle giant and a lovely guy,” he said.

His funeral is due to take place tomorrow at St. Patrick’s Church, Ballina at 11am with burial to take place at Leigue Cemetery.

On Monday Katie Houlihan (21) died after the car she was driving crashed on the R685 at Quillia, Tramore, County Waterford at about 10.15pm.

She was a native of The Hermitage, Coxtown, Dunmore East and was the driver and sole occupant of the only car involved in the collision, and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Katie was from the Dunmore East area where her family are well known and respected. It’s understood she had a gym membership in Tramore and travelled there a few times every week from Dunmore East.

At the time of the crash she had been driving from Tramore towards her home. She had studied Religion and English and was a popular member of the Second Port Sea Scouts in her home town.

The Second Port Sea Scouts and Dunmore East RNLI expressed their condolences to her family.

Her funeral took place last Friday.

Separate to those incidents this week, two people have died following collisions earlier this month.

On Valentine’s Day, Paul Ryan (44), was rushed to hospital with serious injuries following a crash between a car and an SUV on the R401 at Coolygagen, Co Offaly.

He was a passenger in the car, and died last Tuesday from the injuries he sustained. He was from the Newcastle area of Galway. His funeral took place on Friday.

The female driver of the SUV, aged in her 40s, was taken to Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore for treatment for serious injuries.

And last Sunday gardai issued a statement confirming a six-year-old girl who was injured in a single vehicle crash that occurred shortly before 4pm on Thursday February 8, on the M6 eastbound between Tyrellspass and Rochfortbridge in County Westmeath, had died.

Hana Meshkat, from Knocknacarra in Galway, suffered serious injuries, and was pronounced deceased at Children's Health Ireland at Temple Street on Saturday, February 17.

Two other occupants in the car at the time, a man in his 40s and a boy aged 9 years, escaped serious injuries.

A private funeral was due to be held for her.

More to follow...