Tributes paid to crash victim
Man killed in Co Louth accident was member of popular Co Tyrone family
A Northern Ireland man killed in a crash in Co Louth was popular and had a wonderful personality, a friend has said.
Adam Wilson (35), from Gortin in Co Tyrone, was one of two people who died in the three-vehicle accident on the N33 Ardee Link road on Tuesday morning.
Mr Wilson was in a car with his father Ivan when the collision occurred, shortly after 8am, however, his father’s injuries have been described as non-life threatening.
Mr Wilson was a well-known and popular figure in the Gortin area where he ran a very successful shooting business with his father on the Beltrim Estate in Gortin.
Paying tribute, Richard Houston, who owns the estate, described Mr Wilson as a young man with a great personality.
He said: “I was deeply saddened to hear that Adam lost his life in such a terrible tragedy.
“He worked on Beltrim Estate running his own gamekeeping business that he operated with his father Ivan very successfully.
“Together, he and his father worked to re-establish a sporting estate at Gortin and the business was going very well for them.
“He was a great enthusiast and had a wonderful personality.
“He mixed well with everybody and was a natural gamekeeper — a very popular young man who, whenever you met him, he would always make you laugh.
“I would on pass my sincere condolences on to Adam’s entire family at this very difficult time.”
Local UUP councillor Bert Wilson, who knows the family well, said everyone in the Gortin community will be deeply saddened at Mr Wilson’s death.
He said: “Adam comes from a well known and popular family so this terrible news will leave everyone shocked and saddened.
“I know the community will rally around and do what they can to support the family as best they can and I know, like me, they will want to extend their deepest condolences to the Wilson family.
“Adam’s father was travelling in the car with him when the tragedy happened and our thoughts and prayers are with him for a speedy recovery, although thankfully Ivan’s injuries are not serious.”
The second fatality in the crash was Michael Mcmahon (54) from Dundalk, while the driver of the third vehicle was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where he was treated for his injuries, also described as non-life threatening.
Anyone who was travelling on the on the M1, or on the Ardee Link Road at Richardstown on Tuesday morning and who may have witnessed the crash is asked to contact Drogheda Garda Station on 0035341 9874200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
Funeral arrangements for Mr Wilson will be announced later.
Several people from Northern Ireland have lost their lives in road tragedies in recent days.
A seven-year-old girl was killed when she was struck by a car in west Belfast at the weekend.
Elsewhere, two teenage girls were injured when they were struck by a hit-and-run driver in Londonderry on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, a 60-year-old motorcyclist who died in a crash in Moira over the weekend was named as David Gerard Edwards.
Mr Edwards, from the Aghalee area, was involved in a crash on Saturday around 3.20pm.
It happened on the Lany Road when his Red Ducati collided with a Yellow JCB telehandler.
And last Thursday musician Alisdair Wallace (63) died following a two-vehicle collision in Co Down.
Police continue to appeal for information via 101.