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by Linda McGrory
"They are going through the same hell we went
through".
These are the words of Brendan Duffy, who lost his
son Gavin in one of the worst multiple road
fatalities to befall the Inishowen peninsula in Co
Donegal in recent years.
Sunday's horror crash that claimed the lives of
eight men, has broken not just Inishowen's tragic
record on road deaths - but the entire country's.
The authorities yesterday confirmed that the two-car
crash that claimed seven young friends and a
pensioner farmer, was the worst in the history of
the State.
As the peninsula struggled to come to terms with the
enormity of the accident, Brendan Duffy recalled the
day, nearly five years ago, he got the phonecall
that would change his life.
Gavin Duffy, Rochelle Peoples, David Steele,
Charlene O'Connor and Darren Quinn, all in their
early 20s, were killed at Quigley's Point, on
October 8, 2005. A man is currently serving a
four-year sentnce for causing their deaths by
dangerous driving.
Mr Duffy said he was 'sick to his stomach' when he
heard the news of the accident at Glasmullen between
Clonmany and Buncrana.
"When I heard the news, it was just like getting the
phonecall we got ourselves," he said.
"We lost five young people and you thought it
couldn't get any worse than that. I couldn't believe
it when I heard that eight people had died in the
one accident."
Mr Duffy, 52, from Meenagorey, Buncrana, said he
hardly slept on Sunday night. "Those young fellas'
families are going through hell right now. We've
been there and we know all about it. Our hearts go
out to them."
He said he knew the families and connections of all
the young victims.
"We stuck together to try and cope with the grief,
we talked to one another and we leaned on each
other.
"A local man, who lost a child in tragic
circumstances, said to me after Gavin died, 'say a
few prayers and be good to each other'. That's about
all you can do," added Mr Duffy. |
