Victim of Buncrana collision named locally as Carndonagh teenager

The teenager killed in the overnight road traffic collision near Buncrana has been named locally.

Eighteen-year-old Tiernan Doherty-Kelly from Carndonagh was killed in a single-vehicle collision on the R244, known as the  Mountain road, at Ballinlough shortly after 5am.

The driver and sole occupant of the car, he was fatally injured in the collision.

His death brings the number of people who have lost their lives on Donegal's roads this year to 18. 

A keen sportsman, Mr Doherty-Kelly played for Carndonagh FC and CLG Charn Domhnaigh.

Both clubs  opened their doors and invited their own  members and the wider Carndonagh community to come together on Sunday afternoon after the “heart-breaking” and  “devastating” news. The GGA club’s AGM, which was due to take place on Sunday evening, was cancelled. A Christmas Carols event due to take place in Carndonagh’s Barrack Hill Town Park on Sunday was postponed as a mark of respect, as was this week’s Christmas Bazaar in Colgan Hall.

Posting a tribute to the teenager, one local business said: “Tiernan was a familiar face at the shop and always came with a sense of humour and a smile.”

Meanwhile, gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to the collision to come forward.

“Any road users who may have camera footage “including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between 4:30am and 5.30am are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardaí,” a garda spokesperson said.