Mother of one to be buried after crash on night out

Valerie O’Donovan, 32, died in the early hours of last Sunday in a single vehicle crash at Manch Middle, Ballineen, Co Cork. Ms O’Donovan of Riverview Drive, Ballineen was a front-seat passenger in the car.

She had been returning from a night of socialising in Dunmanway with a male friend when their car was in collision with a telegraph pole. The male occupant of the car escaped serious injuries. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Ms O’Donovan was the mother of an 11-year-old girl, Shannon.

She worked as a secretary in a solicitor’s office and celebrated her 32nd birthday just three days before the fatal crash.

Ms O’Donovan was lying in repose at her home yesterday from 4pm with removal following at 7pm to Enniskeane Parish Church. She will be laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery today following 12pm requiem Mass.

She is survived by her daughter Shannon, parents Sheila and James, sister Evelyn, brothers David, Declan, and James, and her fiancé Pádraig.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Cork have appealed for witnesses to a collision in which an 82-year-old female pedestrian received fatal injuries. Doreen Purcell was struck by a car on Melbourne Rd, Bishopstown, on the southside of the city on Dec 18 and taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital.

She died at the hospital last Saturday. Gardaí have appealed to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them at Togher Garda station on 021 4947120.

Ms Purcell will be laid to rest tomorrow following 12pm Mass at the Church of the Real Presence, Curraheen Rd, Cork. Burial will follow at St Oliver’s Cemetery, Model Farm Rd in Cork city. Ms Purcell is survived by her husband Charles and their seven children.