Second student in Tourmakeady crash dies

TRAGEDY It has been confirmed today that a second student died in a single vehicle crash in Tourmakeady on Sunday morning. Orla O’Malley (20), from Cong, was confirmed dead from her injuries on Tuesday morning. The funeral of SeΡn Halloran, who died on Sunday, will take place this evening and tomorrow in his native Clonbur.

Anton McNulty

A YOUNG woman has died after sustaining serious injuries in a car accident that claimed the life of a Clonbur man near Tourmakeady in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The south Mayo and north Galway regions were plunged in sadness when news of the accident emerged on Sunday morning and the death of 20-year-old Clonbur man SeΡn Halloran was confirmed in the single-vehicle accident.
Mr Halloran was a front seat passenger in the car which left the road and struck a wall at Churchfield, Tourmakeady, at 4am on Sunday morning. Ms Orla O’Malley, a 20-year-old first-year student studying Psychiatric Nursing in NUI Galway, was a back-seat passenger in the car, which was been driven by a local 18-year-old Tourmakeady man.
Ms O’Malley had been on a life support machine in Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar since the crash with her parents Michael and Dolores holding a vigil at her beside. However, Ms O’Malley’s death has been confirmed overnight. Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.
The driver of the car remains hospitalised with his injuries, but they are said not to be life threatening.
The trio has been in Tourmakeady during Sunday where the Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta GAA football competition was taking place over the Bank Holiday weekend. The accident cast a dark shadow over the area for the remainder of the Comórtas, where flags flew at half mast and a minute’s silence took place before each game.
Earlier on Sunday, Mr Halloran had been to Athlone for a sheep-shearing competition with his family who are well-known in farming circles. Local TD, Éamon Ó Cuív, told The Mayo News that he knows Mr Halloran’s parents, SeΡn and Geraldine very well, and the whole community was ‘numb’ following the tragic event.
“The community is in total shock and numb following this horrible accident. I know the family very well during my time in the co-op and they are all very well respected. The family are big into sheep farming and love farming and I understand that the young lad [SeΡn] was of the same way. Everyone is shocked at what occurred and the death of Ms O’Malley this morning has obviously only added greatly to everyone’s shock and sadness. The whole border area is numb with grief,” he said.
Mr Halloran was a student in GMIT having completed his Leaving Cert in ColΡiste Naomh Feichín in nearby Corr na Móna. He played Gaelic football for Clonbur GAA club and on Sunday the club expressed their sorrow at his untimely death.
“A cloud hangs over our parish today. The death of SeΡn Halloran, Ballynonagh is a great tragedy. SeΡn represented the club at all levels from underage to adult and was a current member of our junior team. We would like to express our condolences to his parents, SeΡn and Geraldine, his sister Claire, his grandmother Sarah, his aunts and uncles, cousins, extended family and friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with the other occupants of the car and their families. Ar Dhéis De lena anam dilis,” the statement read on the club’s Facebook page.
Local Fianna FΡil councillor, Damien Ryan, said the accident had cast a shadow over the north Galway and south Mayo communities over the weekend and news of the second death this morning was ‘unbelievable sad’.
“The Clonbur and Cross are adjoining parishes and this desperate tragedy has cast a shadow over both communities. It is desperately sad that something like this has happened to people so young. It is something you hear about happening in other parts of the country. It is only when it comes to your area that you realise how a tragedy like this can happen so fast. All of the border region had been so looking forward to the Mayo Galway match at the weekend but now all anyone can think about is what these poor families are going through,” he said.
The road at the scene was closed for a period to allow for an examination of the crash site by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to the accident to come forward and anyone with information is asked to contact Castlebar Garda on 094 9038200.