It was a weekend of tragedy on our roads, with five road fatalities across the country, bringing the number of road deaths to 149 so far this year – higher than last year’s total of 115 fatalities.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána have issued a warning, with the road deaths in the first half of the year being the worst seen in six years.
Some of those who died this weekend have been identified, with a young father and a journalism student among those who tragically lost their lives.
Chris Bradley’s death has stunned the Derry community, after he was killed in a crash in County Louth early on Saturday morning. He has been remembered as an “outstanding musician,” with country music artists uniting to pay tribute to the father of two.
Mr Bradley, aged in his thirties, was a talented drummer for Irish country music singer Declan Nerney. It is understood that he was returning, along with two other bandmates, from a dance in Naas, County Kildare, when the crash happened.
Declan Nerney led tributes to the drummer, saying that he was “devastated” by the loss of Mr Bradley, 36, who had taken over the drumming role in his band eight years ago.
“Chris was a magnificent drummer and above all that an even better colleague and friend,” he said.
“He was the life and soul of the party, always lit up a room with his great sense of humour and a powerful legion of fans.
“While we are all so devastated by this sad news we must keep his heartbroken wife Gabrielle, two children – Darcey and Brogan, parents, siblings and extended family members in our thoughts and prayers.
“May God give them the strength to get them through the dark days ahead. We must also keep our other two band members Bob and Jerome who were also involved in this horrific accident in our thoughts and prayers and wish them a speedy recovery.”
Singer Philomena Begley described him as a “beautiful and kind young man” in a heartfelt social media tribute, writing: “Christopher backed me on the drums on many occasions and we had great fun and I have great memories of a beautiful and kind young man which I will hold dearly in my heart.”
She added that Mr Bradley was a “very talented and gifted young man” who had a “kind word for everyone”.
“I can only imagine the pain, the suffering and the shock and sadness that his wife Gabrielle and their beautiful kids Darcey and Brogan, his mum and dad Mario and Monica and his siblings Liam, Fiona, Dermot and Laura, his mother in law and father in law Gabriel and Donna McGilligan and all his family and many friends are experiencing this evening,” she said over the weekend.
“I want to extend my sympathy also to my good friend Declan Nerney and all the band and team on such a tragic loss.”
Meanwhile, “inspirational” student Joe Drennan, aged just 21, was killed in a Limerick hit and run. Mr Drennan, originally from Laois, was a final year Journalism and New Media student at the University of Limerick, and had taken up a role as Editor of Limerick Voice, the student paper.
Gardaí continue to appeal for witnesses to the incident, involving two card and the pedestrian, which happened on the Dublin Road in Castletroy, Co Limerick on Friday at approximately 9.50pm.
Tributes have also poured in for the talented UL student, with his Course Director, Dr Kathryn Hayes, saying he was a “hugely talented young journalist.”
“We are absolutely devastated in the journalism department and in the wider UL community to learn of the tragic death of our student Joe Drennan. Our heartfelt sympathies are with Joe’s family at this terrible time and all of his classmates and many dear friends,” Hayes said.
She added that Drennan had been “an inspirational student and a hugely talented young journalist, who had a bright career ahead”.
“He was passionate and creative and will be sorely missed by all of us who had the pleasure of knowing and working with him.”
Mr Drennan will repose at his home in Knocknagad, Mountrath, Laois on Monday and Tuesday evening, with his funeral to take place at 3pm on Wednesday at St Fergal’s Church in Camross.
Separately, three motorcyclists were killed in separate road crashes in counties Roscommon, Waterford, and Kerry.
The man killed in Roscommon has been named as 36-year-old John Stones, from Faheeran, Moate, County Offaly. He died in the crash on the R357 in Roscommon on Saturday evening.
Mr Stones has been remembered by his heartbroken family, with his brother Brian paying tribute in a social media statement which read: “Rip John you will be missed so much. You and Daddy are looking down on us now’’.
Tributes were also shared on RIP.ie for Mr Stones, with a death notice reading that he would be “lovingly remembered by his heartbroken mother Marian, sister Katie, brothers Brian and Joseph, sister-in-law Aoife, brother-in-law Brian, nieces Saoirse, Clodagh, Keira and Alesha, nephews Brian Óg and Caeden whom he adored, grandmother Sarah, aunts, uncles, extended family, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.”
One former colleague remembered Mr Sloan as being “a great friend” and “one of the most decent people”.
“So very sad to hear of the tragic passing of John, he was a great friend as well as colleague & one of the most decent people I have ever known,” the heartfelt tribute read. “John I will always think of you & I will always have such fond memories of our friendship, RIP now xxx”.
“My deepest sympathy to John’s family, my thoughts and prayers are with you. It was a pleasure to work with John, he was a true gentleman. May he rest in peace,” a separate tribute read.
Someone else remembered Mr Stones as “a quiet man and also the friendliest man you could possibly meet.”
Another person remembered him as a “great friend and a great person,” while another friend of John’s said he was “a lovely guy.”
Mr Stones’s funeral will take place on Wednesday arriving at The Church of the Holy Family, Tubber for Funeral Mass at 12 noon. Burial afterwards in Kilcurley Cemetery.
The victim of the fatal incident in Waterford was killed in a single vehicle crash involving a trike, at Chapel Road in Stradbally at 12pm on Sunday. He has not yet been named.
In a statement, a Garda spokeswoman appealed for information.
“Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a single vehicle collision involving a trike, which occurred at Chapel Road, Stradbally, Co. Waterford, today, Sunday 15th October 2023 at approximately 12 noon,” the spokeswoman said.
“The male (70’s) driver of the trike was pronounced deceased at the scene.
“The scene of the collision is preserved for technical examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. The road is currently closed and local diversions are in place.
“Gardaí in Tramore are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them.
“Any road users who were travelling in the area of Chapel Road, Stradbally, Co. Waterford between 11.30am and 12.30pm on Sunday 15th October 2023, and who may have camera footage (including dash-cam), are asked to make this available to Gardaí.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Tramore Garda Station on 051 391 620, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.”
And in Kerry, a motorcyclist in his forties died in a collision in the North of the county. The tragedy took place in the village of Moyvane, outside Listowel, on Saturday night, when the motorcycle collided with another vehicle close to a GAA pitch at around 7pm. It marks the fourth road death in the Kerry community in just three weeks, sending the community into fresh mourning.
The deceased is yet to be named, however Gardaí are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time – especially those with dashcam footage – to get in touch.
Anyone with any information has been asked to contact Listowel Garda Station on 068 50820, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.
In August, the Road Safety Authority appealed for people to take care on Irish roads, with a ten per cent increase in road deaths recorded. The organisation’s CEO Sam Waide described the figures as “alarming” and said the progress made in road safety in recent years was at risk.
“The evidence suggests that as a society we are losing momentum when it comes to road safety – with tragic consequences. If this continues, we could see 168 homes with an empty place at their table this Christmas time,” Mr Waide warned.
“We all have a duty – all parts of society and every road user – to do everything we can to reverse this trend and save lives. I hope today can mark the start of a fightback from all of us to regain the progress we had made and make the second half of 2023 safer for all road users.”