Seven people lost their lives in a series of accidents at the weekend. Two Cork men died on Saturday when the car in which they were travelling struck a traffic-calming bollard close to a major roundabout about two miles from Cork Airport. They were named as Mr Michael O'Donovan (33), the driver of the car, of Pembroke Wood, Passage West, and Mr Ken Farrell (29), of Dan Desmond Villas, also Passage West. Both men were pronounced dead on arrival at Cork University Hospital. Both were unmarried but it is understood that Mr Farrell and his partner, Ms Lorna Crotty, lost their 18-month-old son, Aaron, some weeks ago through illness.
A third fatality occurred on the Cobh-Cork railway line yesterday when Mr Jim Curley (21), a native of Cobh, fell under a commuter train as it entered the seaside town at 3 p.m. The accident is being investigated by gardai.
One woman was killed and another seriously injured when two cars collided at Killooley, Blueball, outside Tullamore, Co Offaly, on Saturday. Ms Noreen Lennon (28), from Kilcloghan, Kilbeggan, was cut from the wreckage of her car by members of Tullamore Fire Brigade and taken to Tullamore General Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The driver of the second car, Ms Dolores Ravenhill, Durrow, Tullamore, suffered serious leg injuries. A three-year-old girl, Tracey McDonagh, from Coalisland, Co Tyrone, was killed when hit by a lorry in a disused quarry at Williamstown, Co Galway, last Saturday.
The body of a diver, Mr Frank Price, who went missing near the Kish lighthouse last Saturday, was recovered by members of the Garda sub-aqua unit off Howth yesterday. Mr Price, who was in his late 40s and from Raheen Park, Tallaght, was a member of the Marlin sub-aqua club.
Gardai in Co Meath are investigating the cause of a house fire in Trim in which a 22-year-old man died. The body of Mr Andre Anderson was found in an upstairs back bedroom of the family home in Griffin Park after the fire was reported at 5 a.m. on Saturday.
Mr Anderson's parents, two sisters and brother were treated for smoke inhalation. A family friend was injured when he jumped from an upstairs room to escape the fire, which extensively damaged the house.