Teenager's death in Sligo road crash 'earth-shattering', says priest who delivered last rites

The 19-year-old named locally as Ricky Devine from Keash, near Ballymote, died when the SUV he was driving veered off the road. Picture: RIP.ie

The priest who was called to the scene of a road crash that claimed the life of a teenager in Sligo on Thursday has described the young man’s death as “earth-shattering”.

The 19-year-old named locally as Ricky Devine from Keash, near Ballymote, died when the SUV he was driving veered off the road.

The single car collision happened on the N17 at Ballinacarrow at around 8:15pm on Thursday.

Mr Devine was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services and the adult passenger who was driving with him, was assessed by did not require medical intervention.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner Fr James McDonagh Ballymote Parish priest the young man’s family are “devastated”.

“This is every parent’s nightmare, and it is earth shattering for them”, he said.

“There is so much devastation all over the local community and surrounding areas.

I attended the scene; it was an awful situation for anyone to witness. The young man’s father was there too, emergency services had obviously got in touch with him.

“He was there too when I arrived. It was distressing. You just have to be there and pray for them.

“I would know the young man’s father; they are business people in the area, but I didn’t know the boy. It is so shocking. The whole parish is devastated”.

Mr Devine’s death now brings the number of road fatalities in Ireland so far this year, to 34 - which is an increase of two in the same time period, a garda spokesperson confirmed to the Irish Examiner.

The Sligo man is one of a number of young people who have been killed in road collisions in the past two weeks, including 15-year-old Leah O’Meara from Hollycross in Co. Tipperary.

The teenager died when the car she was a passenger in with three other occupants, collided with another car on Thursday February 15 at around 6:45pm on the R503.

While two young men died in Limerick on Tuesday, when the car they were travelling in collided with a wall.

Darragh Dullea 20 from Clonakility Co. Cork and Cillian Kirwan, 19 from Co. Kilkenny died at the scene.

In Waterford, 21-year-old Katie Houlihan died in a single vehicle collision on Monday night on the R685 at Quillia in Tramore.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, local Fine Gael Councillor Gerard Mullaney said there is “absolute devastation” in the area over the latest death of Mr Devine on the country’s roads.

“It’s a terrible tragedy” he said. 

“He was only 19, and all the young people who have died so far this year on the roads.

“He would be a distant relative of mine, I didn’t know him, but I know the mother and father.

“He was driving a good vehicle, I don’t know what happened, it is one of those things.

“The family are devastated; he had a number of siblings. My heart goes out to them the community is shocked.”