A Mass held to remember victims of road traffic collisions took place in Teach Pobail Chríost Rí in Gortahork last Sunday morning.
Parishioners and visitors from further across the county who have lost loved ones on the roads filled the pews.
As they did, whispers filtered through the congregation of a road tragedy in Dundalk, where five young lives were lost in what has been described as the nation’s worst such incident in 15 years.
Sadly, the close-knit community in west Donegal is no stranger to road tragedies of similar magnitude.
Last February, two young men, Shaun McClafferty and Jamie Diver, lost their lives not far from the village, and on a winter’s night in 2019 another local tragedy claimed the lives of four young men: John Harley, Shaun Harkin, Daniel Scott and Micheál Roarty.
At Sunday’s Mass, bereaved families and friends were each given a candle, which they held as a list of names of those who lost their lives was read from the pulpit.
The list – with over 40 names – felt like it lasted an eternity.
Each name represented a family or community whose lives have been changed forever.
This was not the full number of those who have died because of road traffic collisions in the county, “including others who are unable to hear their (loved ones) names,”
said parish priest Donnchadh Ó Baoill.
During the Mass he prayed for those young and old who lost their lives in road tragedies and the hurt that ripples from their sudden loss.
“It doesn’t get any easier; it’s always there every day,” he added.
During his homily, Fr Ó Baoill also spoke of all of the people involved in road traffic collisions, from the emergency services to the undertakers and priests and the impact on their well-being too.
Outside the church, a garda car, fire brigade and ambulance lined the road.
The touching tribute also served as a stark reminder of the final moments of the many lives, both young and old, that have been lost on our roads.
Sunday, November 16 was the world day of remembrance for road traffic victims.
An event was also held in the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny.
Families and friends of road accident victims were joined at that event by representatives from An Garda Síochana, National Ambulance Service, Road Safety Authority, Road Victim Support Northern Ireland Donegal and Donegal County Council.
