‘A black day for the town’: Ballinasloe reacts to motorway tragedy

An overcast August morning greeted a closed M6 motorway on the edge of the east Galway town of Ballinasloe, and a "black day" for the local community.

An eerie calmness was palpable on Friday at the scene of a Thursday night crash on the motorway which had claimed four lives, including that of a child.

The road was closed in both directions for much of the day to facilitate a technical examination of the scene, and to remove debris.

"I don't understand how it could have happened; I had exited at that particular junction 24 hours before that with my own family and passed that particular junction on the way to Clontuskert later that day," said Sinn Féin's Dermot Connolly, cathaoirleach of the Ballinasloe Municipal Council.

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“I suppose time will tell the full circumstances of the incident,” he added, noting it has left the community “on a downer” on a “black day” for the town.

“There are a number of families who have lost a loved one, and the thoughts and prayers of the community of Ballinasloe are with the families now.

“We’re thankful that we have the staff and emergency services based here in Ballinasloe that had to deal with such a harrowing scene like that, we are very grateful to them.

“We also wish those injured in the incident a speedy and full recovery,” he said.

Fr Bernie Costello, chaplain at Portiuncula Hospital in the town, to which the remains of those who had died were taken, said he was "deeply saddened and shocked" by the tragedy.

Postmortem examinations will be conducted at the hospital at a later date, gardaí said.

Aisling Dolan, Ballinasloe native and a Fine Gael Senator, said her thoughts were with the families who had lost loved ones, as well as with the local firefighters, gardaí, and ambulance and air ambulance crew "at this terrible scene".

The crash occurred between junctions 14 and 15 on the M6, with locals reported to have heard a bang and sirens going off on Thursday night after the collision involving three vehicles occurred.

Gardaí on Friday night renewed their appeal for information on the fatal crash, which occurred at approximately 7.40pm on the M6 at Poolboy.

A full and complete analysis of what happened and why is still ongoing; for now, the town and a number of families are in mourning and coming to terms with a terrible tragedy.

The deaths brought to six the number of people killed on Irish roads in the space of 24 hours.

Two men who died in a crash near Duleek in Co Meath on Thursday have been named as David Conroy and John Enright.

Drogheda United FC paid tribute to their “wonderful” under-14s coach Mr Conroy.

He lived in Laytown, Co Meath, and was married with five children.

Mr Enright, who was in his 30s and from Ardcath in Co Meath, is survived by his parents Johnny and Bernadette, his partner Sarah and son Leon.

Sam Waide, chief executive of the RSA, said it had been a “dark 24 hours”.

“Our thoughts are with the families of those who have been killed. These deaths should serve to remind us that everyone is at risk when using the roads, we are at risk at any time of the day or week.”

Gardaí also asked people to stay safe on the roads. Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman said: “Not only has it been a horrific 24 hours on the roads, we are also seeing an increase in road deaths this year compared to the same period last year.”