Community prays for couple who remain in critical condition

A special Mass was said for the Twomey family last night in Rockchapel in Cork as Con Twomey and his wife, Elber, remain in critical condition.

Con Twomey, 39, and his wife, 36-year-old Elber, remain in hospital battling for their lives while members of their family are keeping vigil at their bedside.

The couple’s two-year-old son, Oisin, died in the crash at Torquay and their unborn child died in hospital after lifesaving surgery failed.

Fr Dave Herlihy, who prepared the couple for their wedding five years ago, spoke of how much in love the couple are and appealed for prayers for them.

“They were wrapped up in each other completely, just a charming married couple living life as they should, full of the joys of life. To think that they went off for a week’s break together and to be in one of the worst cases of being in the wrong place at the wrong time is just appalling,” he told RTÉ News.

Meanwhile, it has emerged the Polish driver, in his 20s, who ploughed into them had left a suicide note in recent days which was found by friends who alerted police.

Officers in the Devon and Cornwall area had been on the lookout for his car and spotted him seconds before he suddenly swerved and drove head-on into the Twomey family’s car.

The man was arrested at the scene, but later died.

The family were on their way to catch the Pembroke-Rosslare sailing when the Vauxhall Vectra ploughed into them at Torquay on Friday.

Last night, a spokesman for the Devon and Cornwall police said the incident was still being investigated by their Major Crimes Team and Collision Unit. They are appealing for witnesses to the collision.