Mother and daughters killed in N17 crash named

THE mother and two children who died in a road accident on the N17 have been named as Una Bowden, aged 47, and her daughters Ciara, aged 14, and 9-year-old Saoirse.

They died when the car they were travelling in collided with a truck on the N17 near Claremorris yesterday (Tuesday).

They were living in the Maigh Cuilinn area of Co Galway and are believed to have been travelling home when the crash occurred near Claremorris.

Earlier today, an undertaker who attended the scene of a fatal fire in Swinford and the crash on the N17 described the events of the day as the worst he ever experienced in 40 years.

Castlebar-based councillor and undertaker, Michael Kilcoyne made the comments at the monthly meeting of Castlebar Municipal District this afternoon where a minute silence was recorded in memory of the victims.

Tom and Eileen Mahon were both killed when a fire engulfed their two-storey home in Deerpark, Swinford in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The family home was totally destroyed in the blaze and Cllr Kilcoyne who attended the scene said it was frightening the damage fire can do to a building.

Later that day, Cllr Kilcoyne was called to the scene of the accident on the N17 outside Claremorris.

“I was out at both scenes. It was frightening to see the damage the fire can do and I was at Claremorris as well and it is just heartbreaking.

“I am 40 years at that kind of work and it is the worst I have ever seen. It was terrible for the firefighters and the gardaí and all who had to attend. It was the worst you could see,” he lamented.

Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District, Cllr Al McDonnell who asked for the minute's silence, described the events of Tuesday as a 'very dark day for our county'.

“Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family of Tom and Eillen Mahon who tragically lost their lives in a fire and the tragic deaths of a woman and her two young children,” he said.

Similar sentiments were expressed by the other councillors who paid tribute to the emergency services who had to attend both scenes and deal with the carnage. Cllr Blackie Gavin who is a retired firefighter said that they will be all traumatised by the scenes they came across.

The road at Castlegar on the N17 near Claremorris has now reopened after gardai completed their initial forensic investigation into the horror crash. Senior members of the emergency services who helped the gardai with their forensic investigation have said the scene of the crash was one of the toughest they have had to deal with in the county.

Floral tributes to the deceased have been placed on the roadside of the N17 this afternoon.