Driver and passenger killed as newly-purchased car hits tree

THE car in which two men died in the early hours of yesterday morning had been purchased by the driver just hours earlier, it emerged last night.

Daniel Hunt, 28, had bought the silver Honda Civic from a neighbour the very same day. He died in the crash just minutes from his home in Clonegal, Co Carlow, as did 16-year-old backseat passenger Thomas McDonald from St Patrick’s Park, Tullow, Co Carlow.

The two died instantly when the 1990-registered car left the road and hit the only tree on the main street of Clonegal at 12.45am.

Three other men, all teenagers and also from the Tullow area, were hospitalised with minor injuries. Danny Jackman, Kevin Kelly and Blaine Cosgrave were in a serious but stable at Wexford General Hospital.

The alarm was raised by local woman Mairéad Milea. She heard a bang as the car hit the tree outside her home. She summoned emergency help and three ambulances from Tullow and Wexford as well as two fire units worked at the scene.

Locals had managed to free the three survivors from the wreck by the time the emergency services arrived. The three men were wrapped in blankets and comforted until they were taken to hospital.

The five friends were believed to have been heading to Bunclody, four miles from Clonegal, for chips when tragedy struck.

Local priest Fr Joseph Fleming, administered the last rites to the men. He said the close-knit community had been stunned by the tragedy.

These latest fatalities bring to 221 the number of people killed on the roads up to noon yesterday. This compares to 205 for the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the 17-year-old girl injured in a hit-and-run accident in Stepaside, south County Dublin, in the early hours of Saturday morning was still critical in Beaumont Hospital last night.

The accident occurred just minutes before a fatal collision between two Mercedes cars, also in Stepaside, which killed 71-year-old Gordon Geary, from Rathgar, Dublin. His wife suffered two broken legs and was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin.

A former garda was arrested in connection with the crash, and was later released after questioning. The investigation is ongoing.

A 19-year-old woman was also seriously injured and was taken to St Vincent’s. Her condition, and that of Mr Geary’s wife, were unknown last night.