Two Irishmen killed in crash in Australia

A WEEKEND car crash in Australia has left two Irish communities grieving for two young sons who had been working Down Under.

A minute’s silence was observed at Saturday night’s Galway-Wexford Leinster hurling championship clash in memory of 24-year-old Mayo hurler Adrian Freeman. He was looking forward to playing with his club, Tooreen, in the county championship later in the summer but, instead, the gifted hurler and footballer’s remains will be brought home by his parents from Victoria.

He died at the scene of Saturday’s crash in Geelong near Melbourne along with Robert Twomey from outside Listowel, where locals are also coming to terms with the death of 21-year-old Timothy Lane in a car crash at Barnagh near Newcastle West, Co Limerick at 8.30am on Saturday.

The woman whose car is believed to have crossed the road into the path of the Toyota Camry in which the two Irish men were killed had to be airlifted to hospital. Local reports said two other men, also believed to be Irish and in their mid-twenties, were hospitalised with minor injuries.

Gardaí in Co Cork have yet to name the 24-year-old who died when the car he was driving left the road at Ballinhassig at around 2.20am yesterday morning. His passenger in his thirties suffered serious injuries and witnesses have been asked to contact Bandon Garda Station at 023 8852200.

The discovery of a car at the bottom of a 60-foot cliff near Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, is being investigated by gardaí. The 32-year-old building worker from Omagh, Co Tyrone, taken from the vehicle had been reported missing at 11am yesterday.

The alarm was raised by day-trippers around 4pm and members of Leitrim Sub Aqua Club from Manorhamilton were among the first at the scene. Diving officer Francis Jenkins said it was likely the car was several hours at the bottom of the cliff before the alert was raised.