Four more road deaths in just 24 hours as tributes paid to ‘absolute gent’ and ‘wonderful’ retired nurse

There were two deaths yesterday in separate incidents in Cork and Dublin. This follows a further two deaths in Donegal and Cork on Tuesday.

In Dún Laoghaire, a woman in her 20s died after a truck collided with her bicycle yesterday afternoon.

A man in his 40s also died in Co Cork yesterday shortly before 8am after his motorcycle and a truck collided in ­Toureenfineen.

Three motorcyclists have died on the roads of Co Cork since Sunday.

Keyna Barrett, a retired nurse from Co Donegal, was remembered by the Ghaeil Leitir Ceanainn GAA club where her son Declan is a member. Ms Barrett was remembered her for work as a nurse and as a member of the close-knit Falcarragh community.

Ms Barrett died following a single-vehicle crash around 1.30pm on Tuesday.

Niall Murphy, a “much-loved father” of three children, died in a single-vehicle crash on the R579 at Glen South in Banteer, Co Cork, on Sunday.

Mr Murphy was riding his motorcycle and was on his way home from a Highland RFC match. ​

“Niall was a loyal and committed member of the Highfield family who contributed a number of years to coaching in our under-age section and was a regular pitch-side for many adult games over the years,” the club said in a tribute.

“The sympathy of all at Highfield RFC is extended to his wife, Margaret, and his children Mairéad, Jack, Matthew and the entire Murphy family.”

Mr Murphy’s funeral mass will take place this morning in Dennehy’s Cross.

Twenty-seven of the 68 people who have died on Irish roads this year were under the age of 30.

Road users aged between 16 and 25 are the most at-risk, according to research by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

Half of the 10 people who have died on the roads in April were in their 20s, or younger.

Almost 2,000 people have been killed or seriously injured in collisions in Ireland since January 1, 2023, RSA figures presented to an Oireachtas Committee yesterday showed.

So far this year, 68 people have died on Irish roads and over 300 people have been seriously injured in collisions. In 2023, 185 people were killed in crashes and 1,438 people were seriously injured.

The funeral mass of 19-year-old Jake Mulcahy, who died following a crash near Midleton, Co Cork, heard of his “fierce independence” and smile that could “transform any situation”.

Vincent O’Doherty (20), from Co Kerry, played under-age football with Ballydonoghue GAA club and was remembered as a “lovely, quiet and gentle guy” with a great work ethic.

He was a passenger in a collision involving two cars on the N69 at Banemore in Listowel and died after suffering serious injuries on April 11.

The Ballydonoghue GAA chairman Martin O’Mahony said he was a “lovely fella”. A keen farmer, Mr O’Doherty worked on his grandmother’s farm and was a student at Pallaskenry Agricultural College in Co Limerick.

The first death on the roads this month came on April 6 when 25-year-old Niall Keane was killed in a single-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle in Carnew, Co Wicklow.

He was remembered as “a gentleman and a kind-hearted man”.