MOVING tributes have been paid to four young friends killed in a devastating road crash in west Donegal.
John Harley (24) and Shaun Harkin (22), both from Falcarragh, Mícheál Roarty (24) from Dunlewey and Daniel Scott, who was 23 and from Gortahork, all died at the scene of the horror smash on Sunday night.
Friends, sports clubs and politicians have paid tribute to the four men, describing how their communities had been "totally numbed" by the tragedy.
Religious leaders, including those who were first to visit the scene of the crash, also told how it was "the stuff of nightmares".
Fr Brian O Fearraigh, parish priest of Gweedore, said the communities had been "plunged into the depths of grief and mourning by this most tragic of events".
The four friends were travelling in a Toyota Corolla which crashed near Magheraroarty at around 8.40pm.
The one-vehicle crash happened in a remote area on a narrow local road, close to a bridge.
Gardaí and emergency services attended, but all four men were pronounced dead at the scene.
Tributes have been pouring in for the four men, who were all well-known members of their communities and involved with Cloughaneely and Ghaoth Dobhair (Gweedore) GAA clubs.
The clubs are understood to have come together yesterday to remember the four men.
Mr Roarty, known to many as Roycee, was a respected figure in GAA circles and an active member of CLG Ghaoth Dobhair.
The club, who next month will contest the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship final against Corofin, offered their condolences to his family and neighbouring Cloughaneely GAA club which is located near Falcarragh.
"Sympathies with the Roarty family and with the boys' families who were tragically lost last night," it said.
"Our thoughts are with our friends in Cloughaneely GAA at this time too."
A graduate of St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Mr Roarty was also a member of Dunlewey Celtic FC, which said: "Words cannot express how devastated and heartbroken we are as a community at losing Mícheál, four young lives taken too soon.
"May all four lads rest in peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with all their families at this very sad time."
Dublin City University, where he had attended, also tweeted that Mr Roarty and the other victims of the crash were being remembered during its meetings and games yesterday.
Other tributes described him as a "great lad, great personality, always smiling".
Three of the men, John Harley, Shaun Harkin and Daniel Scott, attended Pobolscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola, Falcarragh.
Mr Harkin and Mr Scott also went to primary school together.
Mr Scott was due to travel to Denmark in the next week to take up a new job as a civil engineer, while Mr Harkin attended Letterkenny IT to qualify as an electrician.
Mr Harley also attended Sligo IT to study as an electrician.
Principal Maeve Sweeney told of how the three friends had a great love of sport, playing Gaelic football, soccer and golf at school, where Mr Harley and Mr Scott were captains of their local GAA teams.
"They were three lovely lads, gentlemen I suppose is how we would describe them," she told RTÉ.
"Many people have fond memories of them this morning, staff members, people in the school and community."
She added: "It's been heart wrenching, I suppose and our thoughts and our prayers are with the families.
"It's unimaginable what they are going through at this moment."
Investigations continued at the scene of the crash throughout yesterday as the area remained sealed off.
Fr Ó Fearraigh went to the crash after receiving a call at around 9pm.
"It really was the stuff of nightmares," he said.
"It makes no earthly sense whatsoever. All I could do was say a few prayers."
'Grieving and in shock'
He also said when family members arrived "all I could do was embrace them. At a time like that words fall silent".
Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian said the entire community were "all grieving and in shock".
"Four families across three parish communities have suffered a grievous loss, made all the more painful by its terrible suddenness," he said.
"In churches all across the diocese we will be praying for the young men, their families and friends."
Mayor of Donegal Seamus Ó Domhnaill said: "It will leave an awful dark, black cloud over west Donegal and one that won't go away too easily".
Fianna Fail TD Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher said the whole community has been "left reeling in the aftermath of this tragedy".
Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty also said there was a "cloud of sadness" over the area.
Read more:Scale of horror witnessed in Donegal latest in series of road tragedies in the county
