Seven have died on stretch of Wexford road in three weeks

The number of people killed on one stretch of road in Co Wexford during the past three weeks rose to seven at the weekend. An eighth person was killed there last October. In all eight people died in road accidents on Saturday and yesterday.

Three died when two cars were in head-on collision at Raherverran, between New Ross and Wexford town, at 7.15 a.m. on Saturday. Two of the dead were named as Mr Matthew (60) and Mrs Nora O'Donovan (57), from London, who had been holidaying with relatives in the Cappoquin area of Co Waterford. The other dead man was Mr Niall Carroll (35), from Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary. It is understood the O'Donovans were travelling to the ferry at Rosslare.

Four people, including another couple returning to England, were killed on the same stretch of road, at Begerin about five miles from New Ross, on March 30th. Mr James Swords (44) and Ms Jennifer Parkes (49) were returning to Birmingham when they were in a head-on collision with another vehicle.

Its occupants, Mrs Mary Doyle (79) and her son Michael (41), also died in the crash. On October 25th Mr Eamonn O Breasail, of Bray, Co Wicklow, was killed in a crash on the same stretch.

In another weekend accident in Co Wexford, this time involving a tractor at Ballykelly near Campile, Ms Clara Griffin (82) was killed at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Mr Frank Redmond (37) was killed on Saturday morning while crossing the road at Ballinakill, Co Laois.

An 18-year-old man died when a bus and car collided at Briarfield Blake, near Tuam, Co Galway, at 3 a.m. yesterday. Mr Michael Donoghue, of Moylough, was travelling on the bus. Two other bus passengers were taken to the University Hospital in Galway, as were the drivers of both vehicles. None had serious injuries.

Mr Thomas Crean (40), of Ashford, Co Wicklow, was killed at 10.15 a.m. yesterday when two vans collided in Kilbride. His wife, three children and another man travelling with him were taken to Loughlinstown Hospital. Their injuries were said to be not serious. But the driver of the other van was taken to Beaumont Hospital with serious injuries.

In Co Cork, a man was killed and another injured when their motorcycle struck a stationery car at Liscahane, outside Millstreet, shortly before 11 o'clock last night. The injured man, though to be the pillion passenger, was said to be comfortable in Mallow hospital. Both men were from the Millstreet area and in their early twenties.

The man killed in an accident near Ashbourne, Co Meath, on Friday has been named as Mr Thomas McCloskey, of Sydney Parade Avenue, Dublin.