Hit-and-run couple were celebrating 25th anniversary

THE Irish couple killed in a hit and run in Spain were on a holiday paid for by their three children to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.

A British woman was arrested yesterday in connection with their deaths.

Mattie and Margaret O’Sullivan, aged 49 and 48, from Bantry, Co Cork, were on a two-week break in Santa Ponsa, Mallorca, after a busy summer running their guest house Parkview.

The couple were holidaying with Mr O’Sullivan’s brother and his wife.

They were hit by a car at a pedestrian crossing after a dinner with friends in the town centre. Margaret was killed and Mattie seriously injured. He was placed on a life-support machine but died within 24 hours.

They are survived by their children, Kieran, 24; Claire, 22, and Susan, 20. It is believed Claire only graduated the day before her parents left for Spain.

Briton Josephine Wallis, 27, who has been a resident on the island for a number of years, was arrested after Spanish police received a tip-off from a member of the public who reported seeing a smashed windscreen on her car.

She was allegedly at the wheel of a blue Lancia Y10 which struck Mr and Mrs O’Sullivan at around 1am on Wednesday.

Witnesses reported seeing the female driver of the vehicle raise her hands to her face before speeding off.

Police found a licence plate from the car at the scene of the accident.

Margaret O’Sullivan ran the Parkview B&B in Newtown while her husband worked for a tarmacadam company.

Parish Priest Fr John O’Donovan said: “The town is devastated. The news started coming through and everyone’s first reaction was shock.”

The family are staunch GAA supporters and their home was often decked out with flags and banners ahead of matches.

Mr O’Sullivan trained his home parish GAA club, St Colum’s in Kealkil.

John Dineen, fixtures secretary with the club, said: “Mattie and Margaret were honest, decent people and we go back a long way.”

Prayers for the couple were said at 7.30pm Mass in St Finbarr’s Church in Bantry last night.

Meanwhile, a man was killed and another was seriously injured after a car and a truck collided at Ballinacarrow on the N17 south of Sligo town yesterday.