Two 18-year-old car rally enthusiasts from north Donegal died in a road accident yesterday morning in Letterkenny.
Aidan Doherty, of Mindoran, and Steven McGonagle, of Cloontagh, both apprentice mechanics, were killed instantly when their Opel Astra car went out of control near the village of Fahan.
The Astra had been travelling on a straight stretch of road when it struck a stone wall and overturned just before 3 a.m. The main Derry to Buncrana road was closed to traffic as emergency services worked to cut one of the men free.
The bodies were taken to Letterkenny General Hospital. The men had spent the evening in Letterkenny watching the scrutiny section at the start of the Donegal international car rally.
Gardai in north Donegal have issued a warning, particularly to young motorists planning to attend the three-day event. Garda Insp Eugene McGovern said yesterday's tragedy at the very early stage of the rally highlighted the importance for all motorists to exercise due care and attention.
"I would make a special appeal to young drivers to observe the traffic laws. We are out there and will be paying special attention to road traffic offences," the inspector warned.
Local rally driver James Cullen, together with former winners Austin McHale and Andrew Nesbitt, have all issued pleas as part of a high-profile road safety radio campaign. The drivers have appealed to enthusiasts "to leave the speed to the competitors".