TYRONE FAN DIES IN CRASH WOMAN KILLED ON WAY HOME FROM ALL-IRELAND FINAL
A YOUNG Tyrone mum-of-three who died following a road crash on her journey home from Sunday’s All-Ireland GAA Football final in Dublin has been named locally as Joanne Tracey.
Joanne, from Greencastle and in her early 20s, died in the early hours of yesterday morning after her car collided with another vehicle on the M1 near Drogheda.
And there were fears of further tragedy last night with unconfirmed reports of two fatalities following an accident on the Doogary Road outside Omagh.
Separately, a 15-year-old girl was in a critical condition after she and a boy aged five were struck by a car in Antrim.
Sinn Fein MLA Declan McAleer knows the family of Ms Tracey. He said: “The thoughts of the whole community are with Joanne’s family. She was very well-known, well liked and well respected.
“I was attending a homecoming event with the Tyrone GAA team on Monday evening and it was the only thing everyone was talking about. It’s so sad.
“Manager Mickey Harte reflected the thoughts of everyone that there are much more important things in life than football. It was a very subdued atmosphere.”
The crash occurred around 1.20am on Monday. A female driver of the second vehicle was uninjured but brought to hospital as a precaution.
Ms Tracey was described in a family notice as the beloved mother of Diare, Shea and Dannin, and wife of Kevin. She is also survived by five siblings and her parents Jimmy and Phyllis.
Requiem Mass will be held at 10.30am on Thursday at St Patrick’s Church, Greencastle, with interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.
Monday afternoon’s two-vehicle crash near Omagh occurred around 2.45pm. The road was closed in both directions.
The NI Ambulance Service said a rapid response paramedic and two emergency ambulance crews were dispatched but no one was taken to hospital from the scene.
Omagh councillor Sorcha McAnespy said: “We’re all so shocked at what is happening on our roads.
“There have been calls for safety measures before about what is a very dangerous road.”
And police are appealing for witnesses following a further collision involving a car and two pedestrians in the Belfast Road area of Antrim at around 5.30pm last night.
Inspector Claire Gilbert said: “I am urging anyone who witnessed a collision between a red Suzuki Swift and a teenage schoolgirl and a younger boy to get in touch with police. Anyone who saw what happened, or has dashcam or helmet footage and was travelling on this road between 5.20pm and 5.30pm and observed the car prior to or at the time of the collision, should contact us on 101 quoting reference number 1007 of 3/9/18.
“The 15-year-old girl is currently being treated in hospital where her condition is described as critical.
“A five-year-old boy, who sustained a number of fractures to his collar bone, ankle and foot, is also receiving treatment in hospital.”
Councillor Jim Montgomery said it was a “shocking accident that has stunned the community”.
It comes after a 45-year-old motorcyclist from south Down was killed near Newtownards after colliding with a coach on Sunday.