Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
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Heartacheafter US tourists lose three members of their lives in triple same family die in vehicle crash on collison with lorry dangerous route
FIVE people were killed in separate crashes in the South yesterday after two cars collided with trucks just 90 minutes apart.
Three members of the same family were tragically wiped out after their vehicle was invloved in an accident with a lorry in Co Mayo shortly after 12.30pm.
The Citroen C3 was turning on to the N17 a few miles south of Claremorris when the collision occurred.
Grandmother Mary Ann Wilson, in her 70s, her daughter Marcella, in her 40s, and her son Sean, seven, all from Binghamstown, near Belmullet, Co Mayo, were killed instantly.
The truck driver was uninjured but was severely traumatised after the accident on the Galway to Sligo Road at Lisduff.
Mourners arrived at the Wilson home in Binghamstown last night to support the grieving members of the family, including Mary Ann’s husband Josie.
Marcella, who was driving the car, had three other children as well as Sean, a student at Belmullet National School.
Family members in England were flying home last night to comfort the distraught relatives in the north Mayo area.
Senator and family friend Rose Conwaywalsh told the Daily Mirror: “The whole community has been plunged into deep shock and sadness. Our hearts go out to the whole Wilson family.”
The three victims were believed to have been travelling to Galway.
It is understood the car had pulled out of a link road to Claremorris on to the N17 moments before the tragic crash.
Fine Gael Councillor Henry Coyle said: “It’s horrifying that such a thing could happen to a family like that. Nobody can believe it and
CO MAYO YESTERDAY
everybody is stunned. Everyone who’s ringing me from home is completely shocked.
“I know the grandfather Josie, Mary Ann’s husband, very well.”
Fr Kevin Hegarty described it as a “black day” for the area.
He said: “It’s obviously shocking, everybody in the community is appalled. It’s just such a black day. The Wilsons are a very well-known and liked family. It’s just shocking.”
Mayo County Council representatives and officials held a minute’s silence before their monthly meeting yesterday.
Cathaoirleach Richard Finn said: “As chairperson and on behalf of the members and the staff of Mayo County Council I’d like to express our sympathies to the families of everybody involved in the tragic incident. It’s beyond belief.”
It is understood a motion was discussed at last week’s Claremorris Municipal District meeting to put forward recommendations to address the road, the scene of numerous previous accidents. Fine Gael councillor Tom