FOUR PEOPLE, including a Meath minor GAA footballer, were killed in traffic incidents over the weekend.
Liam Tolan (17), from Kilmoon, Ashbourne, Co Meath, sustained serious injuries when the car in which he was travelling crashed into a ditch on a minor road at Ballyhack, Kilbrew, Ashbourne, in the early hours of Sunday.
He was taken by ambulance to Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, where he was later pronounced dead.
The driver and a second passenger, both of whom are male and in their late teens, were uninjured in the crash, which occurred just after midnight.
On Saturday Mr Tolan had lined out as a corner forward for the Meath minor GAA team against Offaly. He scored a point and was involved in the lead-up to a Meath goal.
Mr Tolan, who was a player with the Skryne club, was also on the Meath team which won the Leinster Senior Vocational Schools Cup earlier this year.
Chairman of Skryne GAA club Dermot Carty yesterday paid tribute to the teenager, who he described as “a quiet chap” who was well liked in the parish as well as being a talented footballer.
“He was one of the best players we had at that age group,” Mr Carty said.
Members of Skryne club will form a guard of honour at the young man’s funeral.
All club activities are to be postponed, and Fr McManus Park, Skryne’s home ground, is to close until after the funeral in tribute to the teenager.
In Co Mayo on Saturday a 30-year-old woman died when the motorcycle on which she was a pillion passenger crashed near Ballyhaunis shortly after 2am.
The woman has been named as Sharon O’Dowd from Old Racecourse Estate, Knock Road, Ballyhaunis.
The single-vehicle incident occurred shortly after 2am at Cloonthumper on the main Ballyhaunis to Claremorris road when the motorcycle veered off the road and struck a road sign.
The driver of the motorcycle, a 26-year-old man, was rushed to Mayo General Hospital where his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
In Galway, a motorcyclist was killed in a single-vehicle incident on a minor road at Cahercon, Kinvarra, at 12.25pm on Saturday.
The driver of the motorbike, who was named locally as Keith Honan (34), from Gort, was pronounced dead at the scene.
His remains were brought to University College Hospital in Galway.
Meanwhile, gardaí in Dublin are appealing for witnesses after a pedestrian was struck by a taxi in the early hours of Sunday.
A male pedestrian in his late 20s was seriously injured when he was struck by the vehicle on the N11 at Blake’s Cross at about 3.40am on Sunday.
He was taken by ambulance to St Vincent’s hospital, where he died around 8.30pm yesterday. The taxi driver was not injured.
Anyone with information regarding any of these incidents is asked to contact their local Garda station or the Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111.