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Belfast man is sixth victim to die on Donegal roads

The man died at Letterkenny hospital
The man died at Letterkenny hospital The man died at Letterkenny hospital

THE death of a 34-year-old man Belfast man following a road accident in Co Donegal brings to six the number of people killed on the county’s roads in just over a week.

The man, named locally as Ciaran Parker from the Whiterock area, died at Letterkenny University Hospital early yesterday.

He was one of two people injured in a two-vehicle collision on the main Letterkenny to Lifford road at about 1pm on Thursday. 

A Garda spokesman said the collision, involving a car and a lorry, occurred at Tullyrap near Raphoe. 

A teenage girl who was also in the car was taken to hospital while the lorry driver escaped uninjured.

Sinn Féin councillor Steven Corr said of Mr Parker: “It is very sad. He was a well-known fella in the community, although he hasn’t lived here for a while. The thoughts of the area are with his family.”

The latest incident follows the deaths of five young people in two separate crashes in Donegal last week.

Dermot-Murphy Boyle (19) and Barney McGinley (28) died when their car was involved in a collision with a van while they were driving in the wrong direction along the Letterkenny dual carriageway on July 26. 

The following day, three friends – Stephen McCafferty (19), Teresa Robinson (20) and Kaylem Ó Murachaidh (Murphy) (18) – died in a two-car collision on a back road between Letterkenny and Drumkeen.

Donegal councillor Gerry McMonagle said the scene of the latest crash was a known accident blackspot. 

He extended his sympathies to the family of the deceased.

“Donegal County Council has been campaigning for a new road on this route for years,” Mr McMonagle said.

“The money must be provided for this now. It’s one of the busiest routes in the county.”