Achill Island was in mourning yesterday for a popular couple with local roots who were among five people killed on Monday in a two-car collision on a British motorway.
James and Bridget Stafford were killed when a Ford Mondeo car collided with their Volvo on the M4 motorway in Wales at about 3.15am on Monday.
The couple, who were both in their 60s, were returning from a holiday in their native Achill to their home in Croydon, London when the accident occurred.
The dead man's elderly mother, Mary, was yesterday being comforted by neighbours and friends at her home in Dooagh, Achill.
Mr Stafford was a keen fisherman and owned his own boat. The couple, who have four adult sons, spent the last number of weeks holidaying in Achill.
The Staffords drove a distinctive red Volvo car and friends and relatives first realised that the couple might have been involved in the crash when they saw footage of the incident on Sky News on Monday.
Achill parish priest Fr Brendan McGuinness said yesterday he had no news about funeral arrangements and he did not know if the couple would be buried in their native parish.
James Stafford's brother, Michael, who lives in Achill, is a former coxon of the Achill lifeboat.