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The Irish Sun

Further tragedy as mum, 20s, dies in hospital after horror Donegal crash between car & van that killed her daughter, 6

A YOUNG mum has died in hospital hours after a horror crash that claimed the life of one of her daughters. The collision between a car and a van took place on the R240 at Carrowmore, Glentogher, Carndonagh in Advertisement 2 Fr Con McLaughlin rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital to provide comfort Credit: Johnston Press A young girl, aged 6, Three other people, including another girl aged just two, The casualties included the woman driving, who was aged in her 20s, and a man in his 30s who was a front seat passenger. Two of those injured - the mother who was driving and the toddler - were transferred to the Royal Victoria Advertisement Read more in News The toddler is being treated in Belfast for non-life-threatening injuries. The man remains at Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The road has since reopened and gardai are appealing for witnesses. Advertisement Most read in Irish News Gardai said in a statement this evening: "Gardaí continue to appeal for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision that occurred on the R240 at Carrowmore, Glentogher, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal on the evening of Wednesday 2nd July, 2025. "Shortly before 6.30pm, Gardaí and emergency services were alerted to a road traffic collision involving a car and a van on the R240. Gardai and RSA measures aimed at driving crash deaths on Irish roads "A female passenger of the car, aged six years, was "The driver of the car (a woman aged in her 20s), who was transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, has since passed away. Advertisement "A female child, who was a rear passenger, is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Royal Victoria Hospital. "A male front seat passenger (30s) is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry. GARDA APPEAL "No other injuries were reported. "The road was closed for a technical examination by Forensic Collision Investigators and has since reopened. Advertisement "Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. "Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between 6pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday 2nd July, 2025, are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí. UTTER SADNESS "Anyone with information is asked to contact Buncrana Garda Station at 074 932 0540, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station." Earlier, a parish priest spoke of the utter sadness as medics battled to help those caught up in the crash. Advertisement Carndonagh parish priest Fr Con McLaughlin said he was not at the scene of the tragedy but rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry to provide comfort for those involved. He revealed: "On hearing about the accident I went straight over to Altnagelvin Hospital and the scene (in accident and emergency) is something I will never forget. 'A SHOCK AND A DISBELIEF' "In the community there is a shock and a disbelief. One can only imagine what the family are going through and I witnessed that pain in the hospital last night. "The scene in the hospital was just so, so sad. You had doctors and nurses running around trying to do their best to help these poor helpless people. It is something I will never, ever forget. Advertisement "I just wanted to be a presence there for the family and I did not speak too much but I just wanted them to know that we are all there for them." Fr McLaughlin said the people of Inishowen are once again suffering tragedy on their roads, an experience they are sadly too used to. 'PAIN NO STRANGER' He added "Pain is no stranger to the people of Inishowen as there has been so, so many tragic deaths. "I remember being present in Buncrana when there was a series of multiple deaths there between 2005 and 2008 and once again tragedy has struck our people and I'm quite sure it revives many painful memories for many people in Inishowen as indeed it does for me." Advertisement "We can visualise how they must feel at this time and how the wider community feels and how people have suffered tragedies in the past as there have been so many in Inishowen. "I just can't find words to express how people will feel today and how I personally feel too having been involved in some of them in the past. 'PEOPLE WILL RALLY' "People will rally but nonetheless we have one little child dead." Also earlier, Councillor Joy Beard told how news "breaks your heart in two". Advertisement She said: "I'm struggling to find the words tonight. It's the kind of news that stops you in your tracks and breaks your heart in two. "My thoughts and prayers are with the family." 'ANOTHER TRAGEDY' He said earlier: "Such heartbreaking news this morning about another tragedy on our roads in Advertisement "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the young girl who has died outside Carndonagh and all of those who are seriously injured." Albert Doherty, Sinn Fein Councillor in Carndonagh, told 'RAW WITH GRIEF' He said: "Our local community once again is raw with grief and our local community just feel devastated. "Once again a local family have been challenged in having to face the loss of a loved one. It's terrible news here in North Inishowen." Advertisement Detailing conditions on the road yesterday Albert told RTE: "Conditions were, I would say, favourable for driving. "However, our road at that particular time in to Carndonagh, in to the Mallin area it's a very busy road. 'BUSY, BUSY ROAD' "Workers are returning after a hard days work, people are leaving the jobs in Letterkenny and Derry." He elaborated: "It's a busy, busy road for a period there." Advertisement The tragedy comes after four people - three men and a woman - were hospitalised following a two-car crash outside Carndonagh on the same road in January. The collision took place on Thursday, January 2 just before 7pm, close to Glentogher National School. PREVIOUS TRAGEDY Late last year, Donegal teen Tiernan Doherty-Kelly, 18 was killed when the car he was driving left the road near Buncrana on the Inishowen Peninsula at around 5am on the morning of Sunday, December 1. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene on the R244, known locally as the Mountain Road, at Ballinlough in Donegal. Advertisement 2 The scene of the fatal accident on the R240 between Quigley's Point and Carndonagh Credit: North West Newspix