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Updated, 12:27
IT HAS EMERGED that three of the four young men killed in yesterday’s crash outside Tullamore were brothers, with the fourth being a friend of the family.
The brothers were Darren Doyle (27), David Doyle (24) and their 17-year-old brother Ryan.
The driver of the car, 24-year-old father-of-one Lee Bryan, was also killed when his Honda Civic struck a mini-bus on the R420 Tullamore to Geashill road, about 2km outside Offaly’s county town.
The Doyle brothers are thought to be originally from Dublin but had moved to Portarlington in recent times.
A local Garda inspector is quoted in several newspapers this morning as saying that while several lines of inquiry were being followed, it appeared that the accident was the result of an overtaking incident.
Three passengers from the mini-bus which was struck by the car as it crashed remain in hospital, though their injuries are not life-threatening.
Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to contact Tullamore Garda Station on (057) 9327600, the Garda Confidential line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
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Horrible tragedy, so tough for the family. RIP
god help their mother and father and the person that has to tell them that their children are gone they are all soo young
Heartbreaking for family and friends.
RIP
Terrible tragedy. The poor guys may have been overtaking in an unsafe situation. I see it happening all the time and it scares me.
I have 4 boys. I don’t know how the parents will get through this. This is so sad. RIP.
Oh my god, that poor family!! My heart goes out to both families, such an absolute waste of life. RIP lads :-(
Jesus that story was bad enough. Now it’s ten times worse.
I lost my own brother to a car accident. Along with my brother in the same car there were two brothers who were killed. I know the devastation that losing a young person to a car accident is like. I would not comment directly on this tragic case about what happened this week as the families are going through hell and I would not want to add more grief to the family. If I was to speak in general terms about safety on roads there is a duty for all of us to work together to report people who put lives at risk on the roads. If I see somebody who is putting peoples lives at risk I ring the cops. I would not be able to deal with it if I later came down that road where there was a major accident that I could have helped prevent.
Well said. The gardai were called by a few people yesterday BEFORE the accident happened saying the car was driving erratically but by the time they responded it was too late. Its sad that people who read this story or hear about it will pay zero attention to what happened and go out on the roads like they usually do and unfortunately a few of them will not make it to christmas. I know thats a harsh comment to make. My cousin died on the back of a motorbike a few years ago cause the fella riding the bike was filtering through traffic at 90mph so i get angry as well as upset when i read stories like this :( Stay safe on the roads people!!
A parents worst nightmare, no words can explain away this. God help these parents. RIP.
Have two brothers myself, unbearable to think of
Can you imagine being the garda and/or priest who had to deliver that news to the mother… really just awful.
Just awful, so sad. This is one of the worst bits of news I have read in my 48 years on this planet .. Four life’s just gone in a flick of a switch.. How can the parents of brothers survive this tragedy .. R.I.P is easy to write/say .. What do you say to the parents .. there lives have just been destroyed .
It always amazes me how many experts there are out there when it comes to driving.
Yes, the statistics show that young men have placed themselves in a high risk category. Pointing that out is vastly different to making the presumption that it was completely down to this car’s driver.
There are a lot of scenarios that could have happened. I just don’t understand this throwing out of theories that the families and friends of those who were just lost in a horrific accident simply don’t need to see.
I also question the need to include the name of the car. If this story was a headline of “55 year old woman dies in crash” would it go on to say she was driving a volvo? I doubt it.
Naming the car opens the door to exactly the kind of speculation above.
The statistics might point that way but it’s a bit soon to be voicing assertions.
Well said Tony, these perfect drivers turn up on every news story where the driver is under 30. Happened a while ago on the journal and friends of the victim read the comments a couple of days later, needless to say they very upset and had very strong things to say. It’s a terrible thing for the family and friends to go through, let’s not make it any harder for them. RIP.
For the information of other readers: I’ve deleted a few – unfortunately a pretty large number – of comments which speculated on the cause of this awful accident and who, or what, might be to blame.
Please be mindful of the fact that people who may have known the victims would be greatly distressed by seeing any such speculation, and that while the Gardaí pursue their own line of inquiries, it is in nobody’s interests that the reasons be speculated upon – or for others to already have made up their minds.
Also, just re Tomy’s comment about the make of car: I would content that including the make of the car is relatively common, and we (or, certainly, I) would include it whenever it’s been disclosed by the Gardaí as it was in this case. If any insinuation is derived as a result, it’s entirely on the part of the reader and not on the author.
It’s being widely reported elsewhere that the car was in the process of overtaking another vehicle. Has this understanding changed?
@Nivag: The stated line was that it appeared to be ‘an overtaking incident’. That’s not quite the same as the men’s car overtaking another; even if it were, it would not by itself indicate any degree of fault.
No, it wouldn’t.
I was putting 2 and 2 together. I still reckon the answer is 4. Not sure which parameter’s thejournal.ie is now working within regarding its public comments.
@Nivag, it appears you are putting 1 + 0 together to get 10. I think decency is the standard that is being upheld.
@Nivag: It’s precisely that 2-plus-2ing that we’re asking you, respectfully, not to do. Thanks for your understanding.
No problem, Gavan.
I’ll be back to discuss decency with Tomy and Tobias once the facts are underscored by the authorities in the public domain.
It’s not about people disagreeing with you Nivag – it’s about not speculating.
Tomys point was well made until he mentioned about naming of the car. It’s absolutely common that cars are named. Is the car that they were overtaking part of the witnesses?
Fair enough. I’ve taken it on board.
Aidan, I take the point about the call for witnesses.
Not that I am a journalist but if it were me that was writing it and felt the need to mention the car it would be left until the end where it would be written more as “Gardai are looking to trace the movements of the ? coloured ? year Honda Civic saloon/hatchback – witnesses please call…..”
I will say that I may be a little sensitive to the naming of the car and the impression it gives as I felt a little aggrieved by the description of my own car in a statement made against me when I was a younger man. It was clearly phrased to present me inaccurately.
It’s a parents worst nightmare to lose 1 child, can’t even begin to imagine what they are goin through after losing 3 sons :( r.i.p to the 4 men nd god give strength to the friends nd family of these men with this horrific tragedy.
Ar dheis lámh Dé go raibh siad. RIP.
That is absolutely heartbreaking! The poor family will be devastated. God live them. So so sad! RIP boys.
My cousin died in 99 aged 18 in a car crash. To this day, his parents and the whole family never recovered. Cant imagine losing 3 siblings in a blink of an eye :(
RIP.
A terrible tragedy for the family and friends of those 4 young men
Such a tragic accident, god love their families and friends, RIP
such a sad waste of four young peoples lives .RIP.
Horrific accident. Thoughts are with the families if all involved.
well said tomas.
unimaginable pain for Those families. a terrible tragedy. rip.
I was in tears when I heard that 3 of the dead boys were brothers. I have 3 sons myself and the thought of losing one of them never mind all three just does not bear thinking about. That poor mam and dad, life will never be the same again for them. So sad.
What’s the point of The Journal? Do they intend paying people for their comments, considering that’s where the real content is?
Get off it then. Very simple.
Heartbreaking stuff. RIP
so very sad my thoughts nd prrayers are with family nd friends rip
I couldn’t agree more Eileen, I too have 3 sons and it’s unbearable to think how their parents are managing this horrific tragedy. I hope Mother nature numbs them enough to protect their sanity at this moment to get through the next few days. What about the weeks and years that follow? God help them.
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