Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher has said that Donegal “is under a dark and heavy cloud of loss and sadness”, after the deaths of two young men in a road crash in Gortahork.
The gaeltacht village has been rocked following the tragedy which happened on Friday night.
A car containing four young men collided with the gable wall of a house in the townland of Baltoney just outside the village just before 9.30pm.
Emergency services rushed to the scene of the single vehicle collision.
However, two of the young men were pronounced dead at the scene just moments later.
They have been named locally as Shaun McClafferty and Jamie Diver.
All four young men in the car are from the Cloughaneely area.
Two other young men who were also in the car were removed to Letterkenny University Hospital, with one of those young men who were injured being transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin for further treatment.
Donegal Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher has offered his sympathies to the young men and their families today.
“Donegal is under a dark and heavy cloud of loss and sadness with the tragic news of the loss of two young lives in a car accident in Gortahork,” Deputy Gallagher said in a statement.
“Our prayers are with those who have lost their lives and with the two who are currently in hospital care. We hold in our thoughts and prayers the families and young friends of all those involved in this accident.”
“The days ahead will be difficult and painful, but we stand in solidarity with you all. The loss of life in road accidents is every parent’s worst fear, and no words can fully explain or ease the pain of this loss.”
“As a community, we will support you all with our prayers and thoughts in the days and weeks ahead. You are not alone; we all feel the loss of our young people and share your sadness at this time.”
“I also wish to pay tribute to the emergency services and all those who attended the scene last night in Gortahork.”
