Tributes paid to retired nurse and father of three after latest road deaths
Keyna Barrett lost her life in Donegal in recent days in a crash while Niall Murphy died in a single vehicle crash on the way home from a rugby game in Cork
Tributes have been paid to a retired nurse from Donegal and a father of three and popular rugby coach from Cork, who lost their lives in recent road crashes.
Keyna Barrett, a retired nurse from Co Donegal, was remembered by the Ghaeil Leitir Ceanainn GAA club, where her son Declan is a member. Ms Barrett was particularly remembered for work as a nurse and as a member of the close-knit Falcarragh community.
Ms Barrett died following a single-vehicle crash around 1.30pm on Tuesday.
She was described as a "beautiful lady".
Niall Murphy, a “much-loved father” of three children, died in a single-vehicle crash on the R579 at Glen South in Banteer, Co Cork, on Sunday.
Mr Murphy was riding his motorcycle and was on his way home from a Highland RFC match.
“It was with a huge sense of shock and sadness that we heard of the sudden and untimely passing of our member and friend Niall Murphy as a result of an accident on his way home from the J1 game on Sunday last,” Highfield RFC said in a statement.
“Niall was a loyal and committed member of the Highfield family who contributed a number of years to coaching in our under-age section and was a regular pitch-side for many adult games over the years,” the club said in a tribute.
Niall lived in the Wilton area and is fondly remembered by his family and wide circle of friends on Sherkin Island and in the city as an "absolute gent" and dedicated rugby player and coach.
Since their deaths, a cyclist and a motorcyclist have died in two separate crashes in Cork and Dublin.
In Dun Laoghaire, a woman in her 20s died after being hit by a lorry while cycling on Wednesday.
The crash happened at the junction of the Glenageary Road Upper, Mountown Road Lower and Kill Avenue at 8am.
The woman was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital, where she died.
The road was closed and diversions were in place on Wednesday.
Separately, a motorcyclist, a man in his 40s, died after a crash in Co Cork on Wednesday.
The incident, involving a lorry, happened shortly before 8am at Toureenfineen.
In both cases, gardai have appealed for any witnesses, or anyone with camera footage, to come forward.
There have been 68 fatalities on Irish roads so far this year, compared with 51 in the same period last year.