A man told a court yesterday that the impact of his wife's death on him and their three children was "nearly beyond description".
"Everything has changed," he said. "It has ruined my life and the kids' lives totally."
Paul Traynor described how he had carried his son up the road so that he would not have to see his mother after the crash.
The driver of the other vehicle, Kevin Callan (23), Greenan, Drumconrath, Co Meath, was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court for dangerous driving causing the death of Miriam Traynor (35) on the evening of June 29th, 2005.
Callan was driving a friend's Jeep on the main Dublin to Derry road near Collon, Co Louth, when he lost control of the vehicle and crossed a continuous white line, colliding with the passenger side of a Mercedes car driven by Mr Traynor.
His wife Miriam, a beautician from Duleek, Co Meath, was in the passenger seat and died instantly. Their then eight-year-old son Shane was in the back seat. The impact sent the Traynors' car into the ditch on the opposite side of the road.
When Mr Traynor realised his wife was dead, he carried their son up the road so he would not see his mother's body on the roadside.
In court yesterday, Mr Traynor first said he did not think he could talk about the effect of her death. Then he quietly added: "All I can say to the court is that it has just ruined my life and the kids' lives totally. It is nearly beyond description. Everything has changed. It's the way it is every day; it is a different life."
The couple and their sons Shane (10), Karl (16) and Graham (17) had moved to Ardee, Co Louth, and made their home there. However, after the accident the family moved back to Duleek.
The death of Miriam had taken "a massive toll on the family" and had a "profound effect on the children", the court heard. Shane has become withdrawn and Karl has had difficulties coping with the loss of his mother. Graham is this week sitting his Leaving Certificate, the court heard.
Garda Michael Scanlon said the accident happened at a sweeping bend. The Jeep came round it on the wrong side of the road, leaving a skid mark measuring 129ft (39m). There was some degree of speed involved.
The Jeep was so far on to the Traynors' side of the road that Mr Traynor thought it might pass it on the passenger side and go towards the ditch. He turned his car slightly to the right and, as he did so, the front wheels of the Jeep turned towards his car and collided with the passenger side.
Callan told gardaí he had been driving the owner of the Jeep from pub to pub and had had two pints with him before driving another man to Collon in the Jeep. He later admitted to a probation officer that he had had four pints over a number of hours.
He has a previous conviction for driving without insurance and without a driving licence, but the offences predated the collision.
His barrister, Derek Kenneally SC, said Callan was extremely remorseful and deeply ashamed, and the only explanation for what happened was that he was momentarily distracted and lost his position on the road.
He had not driven since and did not plan to drive in the future. He was a qualified plasterer and helped his grandparents run their farm. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression since the crash.
Judge Michael O'Shea said Callan had decided to drive the Jeep after consuming four pints, and "he had the option of refusing to drive". He said it was impossible to calculate the loss of a mother in such circumstances.
In addition to the jail term, the judge disqualified him from driving for 10 years and ordered his driving licence to be endorsed.