VOWS to improve Donegal’s road safety have been issued following the county’s latest road tragedy.
The county must do better, it was claimed after three people were killed in two separate crashes over the weekend, plunging families and communities into grief.
Their heartbreaking fatalities in just 24 hours means there have been seven road deaths in Donegal this year, compared to 10 for all of 2025.
Public representatives have responded to the latest tragic deaths by calling for an examination of road fatality factors, which exprts categorise as driver behaviour, vehicles’ condition, and road design.
Donegal County Council Cathaoirleach is Cllr Paul Canning said: “There are a lot of road fatalities in Donegal for some reason and we have to look at that.
“Vehicles are faster and the distractions are more evident with phones and other things attached to cars. This needs to be looked at.”
Speaking generally, Cllr Canning added: “We need to slow down the speed on our roads. The danger created by speed is phenomenal.”
He pledged to carry on working to improve road safety and said: “We are always looking at different ideas to make our roads safer.
“We are trying to educate people as much as possible and we do have presentations being made about road safety on our roads.
“We have to keep harping on about it. When we talk to the TII [Transport Infrastructure Ireland] and road designers, they give us stats.
“They say a road could have one accident on a road but it carries 4,000 cars every day. We tell them that we need to look at things.
“We have to keep the pressure on them.”
He continued: “Average speed cameras are something that we need to look at. We are looking at a lot of different avenues. It takes so long.”
The collision on the N15 near Barnesmore on Saturday resulted in the deaths of local men Caoilan Bushe (30) and Leon Shovlin, who was in his 20s, while a second collision in Muff on just hours later caused the death of a man from Derry.
A fourth male motorist, Adrian Slevin, died on Sunday morning following a two-vehicle collision in Omagh.
The scene of the road closure on the N15. Photo: Brian McDaid.
Donegal TD Pearse Doherty said: “These men’s lives have been snatched from them as a result of tragic accidents on the roads.
“There is work to be done in relation to making sure our roads are safer and that we don’t have more weekends like that in Donegal.”
He added: “The families of the victims of all road traffic incidents need our support, but that support needs to be a whole-county support.
“Whether it’s Donegal County Council or other agencies coming together over a period of time, we need a coordinated response.”
Another Dail deputy, Pat the Cope Gallagher, told Donegal News: “It was a tragic weekend for the people of Donegal. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends who are bereaved.”
Donegal Town Municipal District cathaoirleach is Cllr Michael Naughton, who said: “Our heart goes out to the families of those who lost their lives and those who are injured.
“There are so many families here devastated by this tragedy. It is news that no house ever wants to hear.
“[Saturday] morning started off as a very happy morning for a lot of these families and tragedy can just turn it around so quickly; it is frightening.
“Unfortunately, there is a black cloud over Donegal Town and the surrounding areas.
“My deepest sympathies goes out to the families and all the friends at this sad time.
“This is not news we want to hear coming from Donegal; it is a huge tragedy.
“Any life lost on the road is devastating and this is another devastating day for the county.”