Tributes paid to men who died in separate road crashes over weekend

Four people died in counties Roscommon, Louth, Kerry and Donegal on Saturday and Sunday

Tributes have been paid to a man in his 20s who died following a crash in Co Roscommon early on Sunday morning.

Ian Conlon (25) was one of four people who died on Irish roads over the weekend, as the number of road deaths in the State continues to remain high.

Mr Conlon (25) died when the car he was driving overturned at Scrine Hill, near Athleague, Co Roscommon.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Oran GAA club described Mr Conlon, a former player with the club, as a “likable and friendly young man”.

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“The club was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of former player Ian Conlon,” the post said.

“Ian was an obliging neighbour where he would help a person without hesitation, he was particular [sic] generous with his time to younger kids showing them different farming skills and methods.

“Although Ian has gone too soon, he will be fondly remembered as the friendly young man who always made time to talk to young and old alike,” the post said.

Wayne Lynch (40s) also died after he was struck by a vehicle at junction 16 southbound on the M1 motorway in Dundalk, Co Louth, at around 2.45am on Sunday.

Strabannon Parnells Gaelic Football Club postponed the under 15A championship final as a result of Mr Lynch’s death.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Emma, Odhran, Oisín and all Wayne’s family and friends this morning after hearing such heartbreaking news on the traffic passing of Wayne,” a post by the club on social media said.

“May Wayne rest in peace.”

The driver of the vehicle, a man aged in his early 50s, and his three passengers (aged 50s and 40s) were treated at the scene for non-life threatening injuries.

Elsewhere, a male motorcyclist in his 40s was killed in Co Donegal. He was involved in a single-vehicle incident on the R262 near Glenties in the afternoon.

He received medical treatment at the scene of the incident but was pronounced dead a short time later.

The fourth fatal crash occurred on the R555 at Duagh village, near Listowel, Co Kerry, late on Saturday night. At about 9.50pm, gardaí attended the scene where a male pedestrian, aged in his late teens, was seriously injured. He was taken to Kerry University Hospital and later died.

The woman driver of the vehicle involved, who was in her early 20s, and the three passengers, all in their later teens, were uninjured. The scene was preserved for a Garda examination.

The four deaths, coming at the end of road safety week, follow the death of Christy Henry late on Friday when his car entered a lake on the Co Mayo island of Inishbiggle. His car veered off the road and entered a lake at about 8.30pm.

It brings the number of road fatalities this year so far to 144, which is 30 higher than during the same period last year, and 35 higher than during the same period in 2019, according to statistics from gardaí.

Shauna Bowers

Shauna Bowers

Shauna Bowers is a reporter for The Irish Times