A 19-YEAR-OLD man was killed and his friend seriously injured in an early morning road crash in Co Limerick yesterday.
The crash occurred just hours after two young men were killed in a collision in Co Donegal.
Kevin O’Mahony, from Ballytrasna, Pallasgreen, Co Limerick died after the car in which he was a passenger hit a lamp post in the village of Hospital, Co Limerick, at 5.30am.
The driver of the car, Dale Frawley (20) from Knocklong, Co Limerick, was taken by ambulance to the Mid Western Regional Hospital with serious injuries.
He was later transferred to Cork University Hospital, where his condition was described last night as “critical but stable”.
The Volkswagen car the two friends were travelling in hit an ESB pole opposite the Garda station on Main Street in the village.
The two young men were past pupils of John the Baptist Community School, Hospital.
In January of 2009 two other past pupils of the school, John Swords (22), and Oliver Kearney (21), lost their lives in an early morning road collision in Knocklong.
“We are absolutely devastated. We have been through it all before – it is so sad really,” school principal Jim Twohig said yesterday.
Well known locally, Kevin O’Mahony played underage hurling and football with Kilteely- Dromkeen and rugby with Galbally, and was a member of the All-Ireland-winning Scór na nÓg novelty act with Kilteely-Dromkeen GAA Club a number of years ago.
Local county councillor Mary Harty said the entire community was numbed by yesterday morning’s tragedy.
“Kevin took a huge part in the community whether it was with Scór, GAA or in rugby, and the O’Mahonys were well known and are great lads, very lively and hardworking, and it’s just a terrible shock that Kevin has lost his life,” she said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Bruff Garda station at 061-382940, or the Garda Confidential Line, 1800 666 111.
In Co Donegal, two men aged 19 and 25 were killed in a two-vehicle collision at Leat Beg, Fanad, Co Donegal at 8pm on Monday night.
The 25-year-old driver of one of the cars and the 19-year-old front seat passenger of the second car were both pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the second vehicle, a 19-year-old man, was taken to Letterkenny General Hospital, where his condition was described as non life-threatening.