Masses held for two friends killed in road accident

PRAYERS were said at Masses in Waterford city yesterday for two young men who were killed instantly when the Volkswagen Polo they were travelling in was involved in a head-on crash with a Ford Mondeo.

Lee Salkeld, a 26-year-old father of a five-month-old child, and his friend, 24-year-old Brendan Donnelly, were killed instantly in the crash, which occurred near Castlemartyr, Co Cork, at 2.45am last Monday.

The men were on their way to Cork Airport with their partners to catch a flight for a holiday in Amsterdam.

Fr Seán Melody, parish priest of the sacred Heart Church in Waterford, described their deaths as “an unspeakable tragedy”.

“They were young people going off to enjoy a holiday,” he added.

The driver of the Ford Mondeo, a man in his late 20s from east Cork, fled the scene and was arrested three hours later.

He was taken to Midleton Garda station and later released without charge.

A file is to be prepared for the DPP.

Superintendent Flor Horan, who is leading the investigation, has appealed for witnesses to the accident to contact gardaí.

He said driving conditions were good at the time and the road surface was dry.

“We are also looking for people who may have seen either of the cars before the accident took place,” Supt Horan said.

He said that Garda forensic collision investigators were examining the scene and the wreckage of both vehicles.

Anybody with information about the accident is asked to contact Midleton Garda Station at 021-4621550.