Ireland

Town of Buncrana once again hit by tragedy

The scene of the latest road crash in Donegal, on the main Derry to Moville road close to Quigley's Point. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
The scene of the latest road crash in Donegal, on the main Derry to Moville road close to Quigley's Point. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin The scene of the latest road crash in Donegal, on the main Derry to Moville road close to Quigley's Point. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

THE deaths of Nathan Farrell and Nathan Dixon-Gill are the latest in a long line of tragedies to hit their home town of Buncrana.

Just weeks ago, the Co Donegal town became the centre of media attention following the rape and murder of Danielle McLaughlin (28) in Goa in India.

It came close to the first anniversary of the deaths of five members of a Derry family when their car slipped on algae on Buncrana Pier and slid into Lough Swilly.

Sean McGrotty (48), his sons Mark (12) and Evan (8), their aunt Jodie-Lee (14) and their grandmother Ruth Daniels (58) all lost their lives.

The Buncrana pier victims, from left, Mark McGrotty (12) and Evan McGrotty (8), Sean McGrotty (49), Ruth Daniels (57), and Jodie Lee Daniels (14)
The Buncrana pier victims, from left, Mark McGrotty (12) and Evan McGrotty (8), Sean McGrotty (49), Ruth Daniels (57), and Jodie Lee Daniels (14) The Buncrana pier victims, from left, Mark McGrotty (12) and Evan McGrotty (8), Sean McGrotty (49), Ruth Daniels (57), and Jodie Lee Daniels (14)

The town and the general Inishowen area have also experienced multiple road fatalities, including the worst ever loss of life on Irish roads in 2010.

Eight people were killed, including seven young men from the Buncrana area, in a crash involving two cars.

The victims of Ireland's worst road crash in 2010, from top left: Eamonn McDaid (22), Ciaran Sweeney (19), Patrick McLaughlin (21), Mark McLaughlin (21), James McEleney (23), Paul Doherty (19), Damien McLaughlin (21) and Hugh Friel (66)
The victims of Ireland's worst road crash in 2010, from top left: Eamonn McDaid (22), Ciaran Sweeney (19), Patrick McLaughlin (21), Mark McLaughlin (21), James McEleney (23), Paul Doherty (19), Damien McLaughlin (21) and Hugh Friel (66) The victims of Ireland's worst road crash in 2010, from top left: Eamonn McDaid (22), Ciaran Sweeney (19), Patrick McLaughlin (21), Mark McLaughlin (21), James McEleney (23), Paul Doherty (19), Damien McLaughlin (21) and Hugh Friel (66)

Eamon McDaid (22), Mark McLaughlin (21), Paul Doherty (19), Ciaran Sweeney (19), PJ McLaughlin (21), James McEleney (23) and Damien McLaughlin (21) were all travelling in the same car.

The driver of the other car, pensioner Hugh Friel (66), also died.

In July 2004, three teenagers were killed when their car struck a bridge just outside Buncrana.

Shane Cuffe (18) and Owen Patrick Doherty (18) were from Buncrana while the third victim, Aine O’Leary (16), was from Skerries in Dublin.

In October 2005, five people were also killed in a car accident.

Gavin Duffy, Darren Quinn, Charlene O’Connor (all 21), David Steel (23) and Rochelle Peoples (22) died when their car was struck by drunk driver Brendan Henderson.

The crash happened close to the scene of Saturday morning’s fatal accident.

Just four months later, five more people were killed in a two-car collision close to Buncrana.

The victims, all from Latvia, were Aija Porcika (38), her daughter Ginta Veite (19), Marita Kerpe (28), Ricardas Bielskis (35) and Danielius Abartis (23).

Buncrana Fianna Fáil councillor Rena Donaghy said the latest tragedy brought all of the previous deaths “vividly back into memory”.

“It’s only natural that the town thinks of the previous deaths when there is something so awful as this. You have to wonder how much a town and an area can take,” she said.