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‘Wee gent' Daryl Shaw dies in road crash in Castlewellan

A removal truck takes Daryl Shaw's car from the scene of fatal crash on the Newcastle Road, Castlewellan. Picture by Mal McCann
A removal truck takes Daryl Shaw's car from the scene of fatal crash on the Newcastle Road, Castlewellan. Picture by Mal McCann A removal truck takes Daryl Shaw's car from the scene of fatal crash on the Newcastle Road, Castlewellan. Picture by Mal McCann

A CO Down man killed in a car crash on Friday has been described as a “gent who was always able to make someone laugh”.

Daryl Shaw (28) died after his car crashed on Newcastle Road in Castlewellan at about 1.45am. No other vehicles were involved.

Friends told of their shock last night as tributes poured in on social media.

Castlewellan priest Fr Sean Rogan, who visited the Shaw family, said the Mr Shaw’s death had come as another blow to the town still reeling from the death of student Ellen Finnegan (19) in a house fire in January.

“Castlewellan has to come to terms with another tragedy inside a very short space of time,” he said.

Mr Shaw, who was originally from Glengormley, Newtownabbey but moved to Castlewellan with his parents Michael and Lucy and brothers about 17 years ago, was a former pupil of Shimna Integrated College.

Principal Kevin Lambe said the school is “devastated” and has been receiving messages of sympathy from past pupils.

“Daryl was a lovely, gentle student who is remembered with great affection. Messages from past students who knew Daryl have been coming in all day,” he said.

Messages on social media included tributes describing Daryl as “one of the funniest souls about”, while others called him “a lovely fella” and “such a cool bloke”.

Another from O’Hare’s Lounge bars in Newcastle read: “Wee gent who was never short of a story and always able to make someone laugh.”

Mr Shaw is the second man in his twenties killed on the north’s roads in fewer than 24 hours.

On Thursday Dungannon man Ashley James (20) died after a collision outside Portadown, Co Armagh.