Bride-to-be killed in hit and run was shopping for wedding dress
Friends of hit-and-run victim tell of affection for tragic bride-to-be killed just hours after looking at wedding dresses
A BRIDE-TO-BE who died after a hit-and-run had been out window shopping for wedding dresses just hours earlier.
Tragic Laura Connolly was knocked down as she was returning from a night out with friends in the early hours of yesterday.
Family and friends of the bubbly 34-year-old mother-of-one from Lifford, Co. Donegal, posted tributes on social media yesterday morning.
Laura’s devastated partner Joe McCullagh and the couple’s young son Jamie were being consoled by family and friends last night.
The couple, who were teenage sweethearts, were due to wed, according to friends.
Friends say that Laura had been browsing for wedding dresses in nearby Strabane earlier in the day and had decided to go out with friends later that night.
Gardaí had issued an appeal for the driver involved in the incident to come forward.
A man in his 40s was arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act yesterday and was being questioned by officers at Letterkenny Garda station.
Laura was returning home from the night out and had just said goodbye to a friend as she walked towards Townspark, Lifford, on the N15 road.
However, she was struck by a white van which failed to stop.
She was rushed by ambulance to Letterkenny University Hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later.
A post mortem examination is due to be held later.
The close-knit town where Laura grew up has been left stunned by her death.
One of Laura’s many friends, Strabane SDLP councillor Jason Barr, said his heart ‘ached’ at the news that his friend had been killed. ‘Laura was one of the most caring, outgoing, bubbly, mad-asa-box-of-frogs, girls you could ever meet.
‘If you wanted a laugh, Laura would have gave it to you.
‘I called bingo where she lives last year and her nickname for me since then was (All The 4s).
‘A young life taken too soon in such tragic circumstances.
‘My wholehearted condolences go out to her mum and dad, fiancé, son, siblings, the wider Connolly family circle and her close friends,’ Mr Barr said.
‘May God give you all the strength to get through this. I would appeal to anyone with information to come forward, this family will need closure. ‘Rest easy Laura.’ Laura’s heartbroken uncle, Andy Connolly, had earlier appealed to whoever knocked her down – or to anybody who has any information about the incident – to come forward. He wrote on Facebook: ‘Anybody with any information in relation to the killing and hit and run of our happy-go-lucky bubbly niece Laura Connolly at the Lifford roundabout last night contact any of us with any details or even the proper authorities. This is a traumatic experience for everybody in our family, a very massive shock of a girl so full of life, a son and boyfriend, father mother and brother all left with the world turned upside down...if you know who this small van killer is, please get in touch.’
Andy added that the entire family will remember the better times they shared.
He added: ‘Rip, Laura. You’ll be sorely missed always. I’ll always remember good aul laughs we had.
‘Rest easy from your maddest uncle be no stone left unturned... please share xx.’
Lifford County Councillor Gerry Crawford said Laura’s death had cast a shadow over the entire community.
‘The terrible news reaching into this community this morning has
‘One of most caring girls you could meet’
Appealing for witnesses
cast a shadow of sadness over a wide area. The passing of someone so young in such tragic circumstances will be widely felt. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family loved ones and her many friends at this most difficult of times.’
A Garda forensic team spent yesterday morning at the scene of the incident.
Gardaí at Letterkenny are appealing for witnesses.
Traffic diversions were put in place and the scene was preserved for examination by scene-of-crime officers and Garda Forensic Collision Investigators.
Investigating gardaí are also appealing to those with video footage, including dashcam, from the scene and along this route to make it available to them.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Letterkenny Garda Station 074 9167116 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.