'On Mother’s Day for these families, it’s horrific': Mallow ‘numb’ after fatal collision

The community around Mallow is “numb” following a fatal two-car collision in which two women died and two children were injured yesterday.

The incident occurred at about 3.45pm at Navigation road on the N72 Killarney to Mallow road.

The female driver of one of the cars, who was aged in her 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene. The female driver of the second car, aged in her 40s, was also pronounced dead at the scene.

The bodies of both of the women have been taken to the mortuary at Cork University hospital where a postmortem examination will take place in due course.

The children, a boy and a girl, — aged eight and five — who were passengers in the second car are being treated at Cork University Hospital for treatment of injuries believed to be non-life-threatening at this time.

Garda collision scene investigators will try to determine the exact cause of the crash by examining the section of roadway involved.

The emergency services attended the crash site within minutes.

A number of passing motorists also stopped to offer help at the scene.

The Millstreet-based air ambulance was also on standby to support emergency services involved in treating persons injured in the incident.

Gardaí have issued a statement asking for 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 3pm and 4pm are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Mallow Garda Station on (022) 31450, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

'The whole area is numb'

Speaking to The Echo, Fine Gael councillor Tony O’Shea said his “condolences are with the families of the deceased”. He added: “I hope the injured make a full recovery.”

“The whole area is numb, and on Mother’s Day for these families, it’s horrific,” he said.

Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea said the incident was “a terrible tragedy”.

“I am very saddened to hear we have a number of fatalities and also a number of people seriously injured,” he said.

“My thoughts are with all those affected.”

Fianna Fáil councillor Pat Hayes added: “It is a shock, really, that this could happen, an accident like this, and it is very traumatic really.

“Hopefully, the people that are injured will make a full recovery,” Mr Hayes added.

N25 collision

Separately, gardaí are appealing for witnesses to a fatal three-vehicle collision that occurred on the N25, close to the Cork border at Moonameen, Co Waterford.

Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of the collision, involving cars, which occurred at approximately 2.10pm yesterday.

A passenger of one of the cars, a woman aged in her 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her body was removed to the mortuary at University Hospital Waterford, where a postmortem examination will take place in due course.

The driver and passenger of the second car, a man and woman aged in their 50s, were taken to University Hospital Waterford for treatment of serious injuries.

They are believed to be non-life-threatening.

The female driver of the third car, aged in her 60s, was taken by air ambulance to Cork University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries, also believed to be non-life-threatening.

The road was closed for technical examination by garda forensic collision investigators, and gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to the incident to come forward.

Any road users who may have camera footage, including dash-cam, and were travelling in the area between 1.20pm and 2.20pm are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardaí.