A teenager killed in a single-vehicle road crash in Co Donegal has been named locally as Tiernan Doherty-Kelly (18) from Carndonagh.
The teenager died when the car he was driving was involved in an accident at Ballinlough, on the main Buncrana to Carndonagh road, shortly after 5am on Sunday. His death brings to four the number of people killed on Donegal roads in just over a week.
“The driver and sole occupant of the car, an adult male in his teens, was fatally injured in the collision. The local coroner has been notified and arrangements will now be made for a post mortem examination,” a Garda spokesman said.
Tributes have flooded in for the teenager who was a keen sportsman. A former pupil at Carndonagh community school, he played for both Carndonagh GAA club and Carndonagh FC.
Carndonagh FC manager, Gerard Crossan said the players and club members were “just numb” with shock at news of their club mate’s tragic death. Players and management gathered at the club house on Sunday morning to support each other as they tried to deal with the shock and pain of the teenager’s death.
Mr Crossan said Tiernan was a very popular member of the club and was a dedicated sportsman, as a player and a coach for younger members.
“It’s surreal to be talking about Tiernan like this. I would describe Tiernan as a cheeky lad; he was very determined and was really still learning his trade as a footballer. He could be very disarming. When you would be giving out to him, he would just show that wee nearly smile and it would stop you in your tracks giving out.
“The club is at a stage at present where the players are very young; the majority of players are in their late teens or 20s and they were all pals. It wasn’t that Tiernan was friendly with two or three, he was one of a group of about 40 or 50. Everyone is just genuinely numb,” Mr Crossan said.
All events at Carndonagh FC and Carndonagh GAA club (including the club’s AGM) were postponed on Sunday as a mark of respect to the teenage victim. The victim’s team mates at Carndonagh GAA also gathered at their clubhouse on Sunday to mourn their friend.
Club chairman, Philip McLaughlin said the teenager had been involved with Carndonagh throughout his life. Mr McLaughlin said Mr Doherty-Kelly had just turned 18 and had played on the club’s minor team which recently won a Donegal divisional title.
“We are all devastated. He was a hard worker; he’d just started training to be a plasterer I think. His family and cousins are all involved in the club,” Mr McLaughlin said.
Inishowen Sinn Féin councillor, Terry Crossan said his thoughts were with Mr Doherty-Kelly’s family and friends.
Mr Crossan said: “This morning’s news is just devastating. I want to offer my condolences to his family and friends. He was an amazing young man.”
Tiernan was the 18th person to die on the roads in County Donegal so far this year, compared to ten victims in total for 2023. The tragedy follows a triple-road fatality near Liscooley in east Donegal just one week before when Castlederg friends, Ryan Glenn and Gordy Galbraith were killed. The third victim, pensioner Samuel Hunter, who was travelling in a different car, died four days later from his injuries.
