Eight killed in Co Donegal road crash

Donegal
Two-vehicle crash on the Buncrana to Clonmany road

Mon 12th July

Eight people have died in a two-car crash on the Buncrana to Clonmany road in Co Donegal.

Seven men in a black Volkswagen Passat, along with the driver of a second car a red Toyota Corolla, were killed in the crash.

67-year-old Hugh Friel from Dunaff, Clonmany, was driving the Corolla.

The seven men in their late teens and early 20s who were passengers in the Passat have also been named.

They were Paul Doherty and Ciaran Sweeney from Ballyliffen, Mark McLaughlin from Ballinahone, Fahan, Eamon McDaid from the Illies near Buncrana, James McDaid from Meendoran, Clonmany, Patrick 'PJ' McLaughlin from Tooban near Buncrana, and Damian McLaughlin from Umericam near Buncrana.

The driver of the Passat was taken to Letterkenny General Hospital with serious injuries following the collision at around 10.40pm last night.

It is believed that a car first collided with another vehicle but no-one was injured and it travelled on towards Buncrana and was involved in a second collision a few hundred yards later when all eight were killed.

The road is expected to remain sealed off for some time. A forensic examination of the scene is under way.

Gardaí are appealing for anyone who was in the area or who was travelling on the Buncrana to Clonmany road between 10pm and 11pm to contact Buncrana Garda Station on 074-9320540.