Three perish in road crashes since start of holiday weekend

The death toll on our roads in the past seven days has risen to 15 following three fatal crashes since Friday night.

The number of fatalities in the Republic has risen to 108 to date this year, an increase of 18 on the same period in 2015.

A man in his early 20s was killed on Sunday in Co Cavan when the car in which he was a passenger struck a wall at Station Road, Cootehill.

The crash happened at 5.55pm and the man was pronounced dead at the scene. He was removed Cavan General Hospital for a postmortem.

The driver and a second passenger, both also in their 20s, were injured in the crash. The driver was taken to Cavan General Hospital and the second passenger was airlifted to St James’s Hospital, Dublin.

The road at the scene remained closed late last night to facilitate examination by Garda forensic collision investigators.

Earlier on Sunday a male motorcyclist was killed in a collision on the Belfast Road at Newtownards, Co Antrim, shortly before 1pm. The crash occurred at the Milecross Road junction.

The PSNI is looking to speak to the driver of a blue or purple Ford Cougar car which stopped at the scene but left before police arrived.

Meanwhile the woman who died in a crash on Friday night when her car left the road and overturned in a field in Co Clare has been named as Catherine Lynch (56) from Quilty

Pronounced dead

Ms Lynch died in the incident at Shanaway West near Miltown Malbay.

The incident occurred at 11pm but emergency services were not alerted until almost 2am. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene and her body was removed to Limerick University Hospital.

Gardaí and the Road Safety Authority last week warned motorists to be vigilant as the bank holiday weekend approached because of extra traffic on the road.

Chairwoman of the authority Liz O’Donnell said people had to get back to “basics” as it was basic issues including speeding, alcohol consumption and not wearing a seatbelt that were contributing to fatalities.

Gardaí have engaged in a targeted bank holiday enforcement campaign and since July 1st more than 500 people have been arrested on suspicion of drink driving.