Mother and daughters killed in horrific Mayo crash had been visiting relatives

Una Carlin Bowden (47) and daughters Ciara (14) and Saoirse (10) died instantly when their vehicle collided with a fuel lorry on the N17 outside Claremorris, Co Mayo.

The family had lived in Gortachalla, Moycullen, Co Galway, for several years and the girls attended school locally.

Ciara was a first-year student in the Salerno Secondary School in Galway city. Saoirse was in third class in Scoil Naomh Bride, Tullykyne National School in Moycullen.

Ms Carlin Bowden’s husband, David Bowden, who works as a senior project manager for the UN, was expected to arrive back in Ireland last night.

It took gardaí many hours to make contact with Mr Bowden, who was working on a major humanitarian project in Ethiopia.

Ms Carlin Bowden was originally from the Raphoe area of Co Donegal.

It is understood the family were ­returning from visiting her father, John Carlin, in Donegal when the road accident happened.

It is believed the Bowdens had lived for many years in Africa before returning to Ireland and settling in Moycullen with their two daughters.

Mr Bowden continued his work with UN, but travelled home regularly to Moycullen. He had been due to return home tomorrow.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said “we’re all horrified and traumatised” by the deaths of a mother and her two daughters in a road crash in Co Mayo on Tuesday.

“Our hearts and our thoughts go out to the family and to the wider community, their family and friends, it is a shocking loss of life.

“Such beautiful, young people who were really participants in sporting clubs, as we heard this morning on radio.

“This is a shocking loss of life.”

Brian MacLochlainn, the principal of Scoil Naomh Bride, said the whole school community was “completely devastated and heartbroken” by the tragedy.

“We here in Scoil Naomh Bríde, Tully­kyne are deeply saddened by the loss of three wonderful members of our school community,” he said. “Saoirse was a third-class student and was an incredibly joyful, talented young girl with an infectious enthusiasm and wit that couldn’t help but be a positive influence on everyone she met.

“She was such an incredibly well-loved character in our small school community, and we are completely devastated by her loss.

“Ciara didn’t attend school here, but we got to know her over the years as the wonderfully kind, caring older sister and daughter that she was

“Una was a brilliant mother. She cared so wonderfully for her family and was a brilliant support to the school in every way possible.

“Today, our entire community in Tullykyne and the wider Moycullen area are all completely devastated and heartbroken by the loss of three amazing people.

“As we try to offer whatever support we can, our thoughts are now with ­David and the entire Bowden family at this unimaginably difficult time.”

Ciara and Saoirse were both members of Oughterard Rugby Club, where their mother Una provided IT assistance, too.

Julie Ann Brown, Oughterard Rugby Club PRO said while they were quiet girls, they had "beautiful energy" and described how the community were in shock.

"It's such a tragedy for the area. Three beautiful, kind, loving, caring ladies just gone in a moment," Ms Brown told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.

"They were such a multi-talented family and a pleasure for all to meet them. Always beautiful big smiles on the sideline for Oughterard girls rugby or getting in with the tackles and running and scoring the tries in the rugby club and at many games that they played," Ms Brown added.

Ms Brown said the community have come together to grieve the loss of the mother and two daughters and remember them and "their wonderful personalities".

"People have been coming together, they're talking to the children and talking is very, very important especially to young children to get them aware of what has happened and not to shy away from the wonderful personalities that Ciara and Saoirse had and indeed Una had, to remember them fondly through talking about them and remembering their beautiful smiles, remembering the energy that they had and the quiet energy that they had," Ms Brown said.

Parish Priest in Maigh Cuilinn Fr Martin Whelan said the family were involved in many clubs in the area and were well known in the community.

"There are a lot of young families here so a lot of sports clubs that play at a top level, a lot of social clubs and the family was very much involved in all of them and very well known. That's why the community so devastated," Fr Whelan said.

A service was held in the local church on Wednesday evening where locals gathered to remember Una, Ciara and Saoirse.

"We dedicated that half an hour of prayer [to] remember the family and it was also just an opportunity for people to gather as well," Fr Whelan added.

Councillor Noel Thomas, who lived near the Bowden family in Moycullen, said the news had devastated the community.

“Everyone is shocked and devastated. I think it’s the most tragic awful news that has hit this community for as long as I can ever remember,” he said.

“For two children to lose their lives with their mother is just unimaginable, and their poor father coming home to face into this nightmare.

“I really can’t imagine the pain that man is feeling. There is no doubt about it, you couldn’t get a more supportive community than Moycullen.

“And I am sure all the friends they have made here will come together and anything they can to help the poor family in this terrible time.”

A local woman described Ms Carlin Bowden as “beautiful and gentle”.

“She seemed like one of those mothers who just wanted to make life fun and fulfilling for her daughters,” she said.

“Every mother is devoted, but she really seemed to live for her girls. We are all just broken with shock.

“How such a terrible thing like this could happen makes you question this world. I wish those beautiful girls and their mammy the warm loving embrace of heaven tonight.”

The collision happened shortly after 2pm on Tuesday on a straight section of the N17 outside Claremorris and near Knock.

It is not known what caused the accident, but initial inquires have suggested that Ms Carlin Bowden lost control and her car strayed into the path of an oncoming fuel lorry.

It is understood her vehicle was ­pulling a trailer and this might have ­destabilised it.

A van driver who was immediately ­behind the family managed to take evasive action and crashed into a ditch, but was uninjured.

Both the van and lorry driver were treated at the scene for shock and were taken to Mayo University Hospital to be assessed.

Post-mortems took place yesterday at Mayo University Hospital.

The stretch of road where the tragedy happened is a notorious accident black spot and has been the scene of multiple casualties over the years.

The deaths of Ms Carlin Bowden and her daughters brings to 55 the number of people killed on Irish roads this year.

There has been a 24pc increase in road deaths since January 1 compared with the same period last year.

Fourteen people died on Irish roads this month alone, which equates to an average of one death almost every 48 hours.

Co Mayo had 12 road deaths last year, according to the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

There have been eight deaths in the county so far this year, including five in the Claremorris area.