By Diarmaid Doherty
MEMBERS of the board of Donegal ETB have paid tribute to the two teenagers who lost their lives in a single vehicle collision in Inishowen last month.
Thomas Gallagher and Alana Harkin, both aged 18, died in the collision near Gleneely on the main R238 road to Culdaff.
A third occupant of the vehicle, a teenage male, was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital.
Thomas was a sixth year student at Moville Community College and Alana was a former pupil of Carndonagh Community School.
At last week’s meeting of Donegal ETB, sympathy was offered to the students and staff at both schools before a minute’s silence was observed.
Board chairman Cllr Donal Coyle said Thomas Gallagher had been due to sit his Leaving Certificate at Moville Community College where his mother Helen is an art teacher.
Board member Barry Molloy, who is a former teacher at Moville CC, said there had been a lot of positive news at the college in recent times with work now underway on a major new extension project.
However, the sudden passing of Thomas Gallagher was another tragedy for the school community, something which he said was hard to fathom for everyone.
Cllr Martin Farren said the deaths of the two young people had knocked the entire Inishowen community while Cllr. Rena Donaghey also offered her sympathy to the families.
“It was absolutely devastating, three youngsters went out that night to go to their work and didn’t come home,” she said.
“It’s affected the entire community and our thoughts and prayers are with everybody.”
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