By Cronan Scanlon
GARDAI are waiting to interview the driver of a car in which two young men were killed following an horrific crash outside Rathmullan on Saturday morning.
Friends, Shaun Graham (19) and Matthew Crawford (21) from Letterkenny were back-seat passengers in the Honda Integra car which crashed into a wall and tree on the Upper Knockalla Road just after 3 am.
Both men were killed instantly at the scene which is located just over one kilometre from Rathmullan, on the Portsalon road.
Shaun Graham will be laid to rest today after 11.15 am Requiem Mass in St Eunan’s Cathedral while Matthew Crawford will also be buried following 3 pm mass at the Church of the Irish Martyrs.
Two other young men who were in the car, Noel Carr from Newmills and Damian Gallagher from Cabra, Churchill, were airlifted by helicopter to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.
Their injuries are not now understood to be life-threatening.
The late Mr Graham was from the Ballymacool area and worked at the Quiet Moment Tea Rooms at Lower Main Street, Letterkenny, which is owned by his uncle, Mr Brendan McGlynn.
He is survived by his parents Michael and Catriona as well as two brothers and a sister.
Mr Crawford was from the Elmwood Downs are of the town.
It is believed two cars left Rathmullan, where the annual festival was taking place, to go to a house party nearby.
However, the car in front returned after the Integra carrying the four young men failed to turn up at the house.
The occupants of the first car came upon the crash scene and immediately notified gardai and the emergency services.
Rathmullan Parish Priest, Fr Martin Collum, broke down at Sunday Mass as he tried to talk about the tragedy that visited the village the previous morning.
Speaking to the Donegal News yesterday, an emotional Fr Collum said he was awoken at around 3:30 am and told there was a serious crash nearby.
Gardai are appealing for witnesses or anyone else who was on the Rathmullan to Portsalon Road between 2.30 am and 3.30 am to contact them at Milford garda station on 074 9153048.
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)