Four killed in road carnage over bank holiday weekend

YET another bank holiday weekend saw carnage on the roads as four people died in accidents in Wexford, Kerry and Cork.

In Wexford, two young men, Robert Byrne, 18, and Kevin Rafter, 17, both from the Ballindaggin area, died when the Peugeot 306 in which they were travelling smashed into the entrance of a house at Coolcarney at 3am yesterday morning.

The occupants of the house and neighbours rushed to the scene when they heard the loud bang.

The crash happened on a narrow, rural road, with a sharp bend just a short distance from the impact.

One of the young men died on route to Wexford General Hospital, the other died several hours later in the hospital despite the efforts of medical staff.

The road was closed off for several hours to allow for a forensic investigation of the scene.

A garda spokesman said they are appealing for any witnesses to the crash to contact them in Enniscorthy on 053-9233534.

Shocked locals last night described the two, Mr Byrne, a barman at the Holygrail pub in Ballindaggin, and Mr Rafter, a Leaving Cert student at FCJ in Bunclody, as well-known and liked teenagers who had promising careers and futures ahead of them.

Almost simultaneously with the Wexford crash, a single-vehicle smash in Kerry claimed the life of a 41-year-old man, named locally as John Costelloe of Knopogue, Ballyduff.

He was the sole occupant of a car which went out of control, left the road and overturned in a field at Slievewaddra, Ballyduff, between 3am and 3.30am.

Any witnesses are asked to contact Listowel garda station on 068-21000.

On Saturday, Youghal native Simon Mansfield, 25, died when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a barrier on the N8 at Curraghprevin outside Rathcormac, Co Cork, at approximately 3.15pm.

Mr Mansfield, who had four siblings, is due to be laid to rest on Wednesday.