18 year old spectator killed watching donegal Rally

Puckoon · June 14, 2008, 07:33:30 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/7454911.stm

God rest him.

Spectator dies in rally accident

A teenage spectator has been killed at the Donegal International Rally.

It is understood the 18-year-old boy was knocked down by a competing vehicle during the Carnhill stage of the event at about 1530 BST on Saturday.

It happened in the Ballyarr area of Ramelton, about four miles from Letterkenny. The teenager was pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident happened on the second day of the three-day annual event, which attracts up to 50,000 spectators.

Racing was immediately suspended following the collision, and it is thought Sunday's racing will be cancelled as a mark of respect.

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to contact them.

It is not the first time that tragedy has struck at the rally, which is one of the biggest events in the county's sporting calendar.

In 2002, two race marshalls were killed when a rally car left the road and struck a crowd of spectators at Cloghan, six miles from Ballybofey.

J70 · June 14, 2008, 07:53:59 PM

Is a couple of dead spectators every now and again worth it?

It used to go through my area way years ago, but people got fed up having roads, bridges and hedges wrecked and spending the day fretting about livestock or pets or even children getting hit.

gerry · June 14, 2008, 08:07:21 PM

sad news for any family to get. may he rest in peace

Gaoth Dobhair Abu · June 15, 2008, 12:16:15 AM

Terrible news, God love his family.

RIP

Norf Tyrone · June 15, 2008, 09:16:46 AM

This wee lad is from Strabane. From what I heard a car crashed on the stage, and he jumped out to push it or look at it or something. Obviously within a matter of seconds the next car came over the hill and caught him.

Sad job. RIP

nifan · June 17, 2008, 08:34:18 AM

Awful stuff. I knew one of the boys who died back in 2002 and it was an awful tragedy.
They graduated posthumously at my graduation and their fathers went up to get their degrees. Needless to say it was incredibly emotional.

stpauls · June 17, 2008, 10:02:02 AM

Quote from: Norf Tyrone on June 15, 2008, 09:16:46 AM
This wee lad is from Strabane. From what I heard a car crashed on the stage, and he jumped out to push it or look at it or something. Obviously within a matter of seconds the next car came over the hill and caught him.

Sad job. RIP

heard it from someone who was competing, there was a car over taken on the stage and the 2 cars were running fairly close to each other. the lad watched the 1st car go past, and stepped on to the road to watch for the 2nd one coming up the road, not realising it was right behind. car was at about 100mph and there was nothing the driver could do.

An unfortunate accident. May he rest in peace!!

Hereiam · June 17, 2008, 10:06:01 AM

Heard from a man who was near when it happened that this young lad was drunk and was running out onto the road every time that a car went pass. The stewarts tried to stop him from doing it but there was only so much they could do. Awful thing to happen may he rest in peace.

Norf Tyrone · June 17, 2008, 04:22:35 PM

Quote from: Hereiam on June 17, 2008, 10:06:01 AM
Heard from a man who was near when it happened that this young lad was drunk and was running out onto the road every time that a car went pass. The stewarts tried to stop him from doing it but there was only so much they could do. Awful thing to happen may he rest in peace.

I have not heard this locally, so will err that it's rubbish. However surely the stewards should've aborted the stage if he was drunk, and they'd already stopped him once?