Nine people have died in seven separate road accidents over the weekend. Three men, all in their 20s, were killed when their car was in collision with a bus near the Border in Co Armagh last night. An RUC spokesman said the accident happened near Carnagh Woods on the main Castleblayney-Keady road, less than half a mile on the Northern side of the Border shortly before 8 p.m.
The men, all from the Keady area, were travelling towards Castleblayney when their vehicle collided head-on with the bus which was being driven in the opposite direction.
Although nobody on the bus was injured, the three men in the car were pronounced dead on arrival at hospital in Craigavon.
The RUC said the circumstances surrounding the accident were unclear last night but that traffic diversions would remain in operation place until today. Two hours later, in Dublin, a motor-cyclist died after, it is understood, his bike struck a wall on the Sutton-Baldoyle road. Gardai were not releasing his name but said that nobody else was injured in the accident, which occurred close to Sutton station.
At 4.20 p.m. yesterday, a retired farmer was killed when the tractor he was driving over-turned near Swanlinbar, Co Cavan. Mr James McManus (69), an unmarried man from Ballinamore, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Gardai at Newcastle West, Co Limerick, are seeking witnesses in connection with the death of a man in his early 20s whose body was found on the main Limerick road, 1 1/2 miles from Abbeyfeale, at 8 a.m. yesterday.
Skid marks were evident near the scene and gardai say they are treating the case as a hit-and-run.
A man Co Armagh man died after his car was in collision with a wall at Woodlane in Lurgan. The dead man was named as Mr Brian Wells (51), from Glenview Drive, Lurgan. His 10-year-old son, a passenger in the car, was slightly injured.
Mr Edward Murray (24) died when the car in which he was a passenger collided with a wall at Knockmona, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, early on Saturday.
Ms Agnes Lohan, who was in her 70s, died on Friday night after her car was in collision with a truck at Castlefrench Cross, Ballinamore Bridge, Co Galway.