GARDAÍ HAVE named the three people killed in the Co Monaghan road crash, whose deaths bring to 208 the number of fatalities on the Republic’s roads this year.
Carrickmacross gardaí have appealed for witnesses to the three- car collision in which Glenn Curtiss (27), Dunroe, Nobber, Co Meath, and Paul Carroll (27), Dunheeda, Co Meath, died at the scene. Róisín Connolly (39), Gracepark Manor, Gracepark Road, Drumcondra, Dublin, died a number of hours later at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda,Co Louth.
Ms Connolly was five months pregnant and efforts to save the baby were unsuccessful.
Her husband, a son of former Laois-Offaly TD Ger Connolly, has been described as stable.
The two men who died were passengers in a BMW in which two other men were also injured, one critically, while the second, the driver, underwent surgery yesterday afternoon.
His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
A couple in a third car, an Opel Vectra, were treated for minor injuries and shock.
Their two children, aged 11 months and two years, who were in child seats, were given preliminary check-ups but were unharmed.
All four were later discharged from hospital.
The crash occurred in heavy rain on a straight stretch of the Dublin-Derry N2 at Nurebeg about two miles outside Carrickmacross on the Ardee side, at about 6.30pm on Monday.
Firefighters and up to six ambulances faced hazardous road conditions in dealing with the crash.
The road remained closed throughout Monday night and all day yesterday while Garda forensic examiners and crime scene personnel carried out a detailed investigation.
They were assisted by the Garda air support unit who filmed the scene and were expected to confirm the line of travel of each of the vehicles.
Initial indications were that the BMW carrying the four men was travelling towards Carrickmacross while the two other vehicles were heading towards Dublin.
It is thought that the BMW glanced off the side of the Opel before colliding with the Seat Toledo in which Ms Connolly was fatally injured.
Garda Supt Noel Cunningham of Carrickmacross said: “Unfortunately we have had a horrendous occurrence here and we are at an early stage of the investigation.
“I would ask anybody who was travelling on this stretch of road on Monday night between approximately 6.30pm to 6.45pm and who may have seen something prior to or at the time of the accident to come forward and speak to us by contacting Carrickmacross Garda station at 042-966 1222, or the Garda confidential telephone at 1800-666111.”
Supt Cunningham said there was “no indication of any ice, snow or slush on the road but there was a lot of rain”.
It emerged later yesterday that one of the men killed, Mr Curtiss, lost four cousins and an aunt in a car crash nine years ago.
Mr Curtiss’s first cousins Wayne Curtiss (9), Shauna Curtiss (5), Gary Curtiss (13), Jamie Curtiss (14) and aunt Catherine Curtiss died in a crash in July 2001 when their Toyota Corolla family car collided with a milk tanker at Swann’s Cross, Co Monaghan, as they travelled to Co Donegal for summer holidays.
A friend of the Curtiss family in Nobber, Co Meath, said yesterday: “We are devastated with the news of Glenn’s death. It’s not fair. The area is in deep shock.
“The Curtiss family have had enough to deal with already with the tragedy at Swann’s Cross back in 2001 without this. It’s heartbreaking.”
MR Curtiss is survived by his parents Seán and Marion and by his sister Sinéad.
The mayor of Carrickmacross, Cllr PJ O’Hanlon, extended his sympathies to the families of those who “have died in this tragic accident”.
“Our thoughts are also with the other people involved and their families,” he said. “We are all shocked that such a tragedy could have happened near our town. I implore people all across the country to please be careful on our roads.”