RIP: Two men killed on Irish roads following fatal crashes during first weekend of 2026

Investigations are underway after two people died in separate road crashes during what is the first weekend of the new year.

Gardai say the incidents - in Longford and Kerry - happened just hours apart on Saturday night.

In the first incident, a man died following a collision involving a van and two cars on the N4 at Edgeworthstown, County Longford at around 7pm on Saturday.

"The collision involved two cars and a van and occurred on the Longford Town side of the N4 after the Edgeworthstown Roundabout. The driver of one of the cars, a man aged in his 30s, has been pronounced deceased. Another man, aged in his 30s, has been taken to hospital to be treated for injuries believed to be serious but non-life threatening," said a garda spokesperson.

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In the second incident, another man, also aged in his 30s, died after a car struck a tree on the L3013 at Knockdooragh, Headford, County Kerry.

That collision happened at around 11.20pm and the driver of the car was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Gardai say the road is currently closed for examination by Forensic Collision Investigators and that local diversions are in place.

Anybody with information about either incident is asked to contact gardai in either Granard or Macroom. Any road users with dash-cam footage are also asked to make it available.