Three people have been killed in separate road incidents over a 16-hour period between Saturday and Sunday mornings.
The crashes occurred in counties Monaghan, Louth and Limerick and bring to some 40 the number of people killed on the State’s roads so far this year, according to provisional Garda figures.
The weekend deaths began with a two-car crash on the N2 near Knockaconny, in Co Monaghan, at 11.15am on Saturday. The driver and sole occupant of one of the cars, a man aged in his 50s, suffered fatal injuries and his body was removed for a postmortem.
Two people from the second car were taken to Drogheda and Cavan hospitals for treatment of injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
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About 15 hours later, in early hours on Sunday, gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a fatal single-car crash on the R176 in Carlingford, Co Louth. The incident occurred shortly before 2.30am.
The driver, a man aged in his 30s, later died from his injuries. His body was removed to the mortuary at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda, and a postmortem will take place later.
The road remained closed on Sunday morning, with diversions in place, for a Garda examination.
On 3.30am on Sunday, gardaí and emergency services were called to a crash at in Kilduff, near Pallasgreen in Co Limerick.
The driver of the vehicle, a woman aged in her 20s, suffered fatal injuries.
A male passenger aged in his 30s is being treated for serious injuries at University Hospital Limerick.
Two children, a girl and a toddler boy, are also receiving treatment, but their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
The road remains closed this morning with local diversions in place. An examination of the scene will take place later today.
Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to any of these crashes to contact them.
