Ireland

Former Fine Gael TD (70s) named as victim in Roscommon crash

Gardaí investigating three separate serious road crashes over weekend

A Garda road closure close to the scene near Aclint Bridge in Ardee, Co Louth, after three women were killed and two men seriously injured in a road accident involving three cars. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday July 21, 2017. Gardai said one woman, aged 39, was driving one of the cars, and the two other women, aged 69 and 37, were passengers. See PA story ACCIDENT Deaths Ireland. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Gardaí are investigating three separate serious road crashes over weekend. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Sun Jan 28 2024 - 15:52

A man who died in a single-vehicle crash in Co Roscommon on Saturday has been named as former Fine Gael TD John Connor.

Mr Connor (79), died in the incident near Frenchpark shortly before 2pm. He was taken to University Hospital Sligo, where he was later pronounced dead.

Mr Connor is understood to have been the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan said he was sad to hear of the passing of his party colleague, who was a native of Frenchpark.

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“John was a man of huge integrity, a great orator, political wisdom, good company and a great friend,” he said.

Independent TD Denis Naughten said he was “very saddened to hear of Mr Connors passing and described him as a fountain of knowledge”.

Mr Connor was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 1981 as a TD for the Roscommon/East Galway constituency. He lost his seat a year later, but went on to become a long-serving senator. In the 1989 general election he won back his seat, topping the poll in Roscommon/East Galway.

He retained his Dáil seat in 1992 in the newly created Longford-Roscommon constituency. He served until 1997, as he was unsuccessful in that year’s election, but was again elected to the Seanad.

Mr Connor also served as a county councillor between 1999 and 2004.

Gardaí in Roscommon are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward. Those who were travelling on the road at the time and have camera footage, including dash-cam recordings, are requested to make it available to gardaí.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Castlerea Garda station on 094-9621630, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

Separately, gardaí in Wexford attended the scene of a serious crash at approximately 11.30pm on Saturday involving a single motorcycle.

The male driver (30s) was seriously injured and was taken to Wexford General Hospital, where his condition is described as critical. The scene of the crash on the R733 was closed pending a technical examination by Garda forensic collision investigators and local diversions are in place.

Earlier, gardaí attended the scene of a serious crash on the N25 in Drinagh, Co Wexford, shortly before 8pm.

Three vehicles were involved in the incident and three adults were taken to Wexford General Hospital with a range of injuries.

One man arrested at the scene was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in Co Wexford. A second man, who was travelling in the same vehicle, is assisting gardaí with their inquiries. The scene of the incident was closed pending a technical examination, and investigations are ongoing.

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