Man killed as his car is struck by train

A MAN who escaped death when his car was struck by a train at a level-crossing nearly 40 years ago was killed yesterday in a repeat incident near his home in Straide, Co Mayo.

PJ McGowan, a retired farmer and plasterer who was in his mid-60s, was killed instantly when his car was struck by the 10.45am passenger train from Ballina at Manulla Junction.

The victim was unaccompanied at the time of the impact. There were two people on the train - the driver and a passenger. Mr McGowan, a bachelor, who retired from a Fás scheme earlier this year, was involved in a similar accident at a level-crossing in 1970.

One of his neighbours, Bridie Roache, said yesterday: "PJ was lucky to survive the previous accident. His car was dragged down the line, but he made a good recovery. It is awful what has now happened."

Iarnród Éireann spokesman Barry Kenny said the driver had done all he could to avoid yesterday's fatal crash. "Just as the car was going through the junction, a car appeared in front of it," he said. The level-crossing is user-operated and protected by iron gates and was recently widened.

Meanwhile, the family of the teenage girl who was killed in a school bus crash in Co Tyrone have appealed for fresh initiatives to make roads safer.

The twin sister of 16-year-old Nicola Murray told how she tried to deal with the injured on the school bus in the seconds after it was struck by a lorry on an infamous stretch of road at Cabragh near Ballygawley.

Natasha Murray said the bus had gone silent and she had tried to help the younger pupils, some of whom were only seven. Then she realised her sister was badly hurt: "I helped her as best I could, but she just wasn't responding."

Gardaí yesterday named two people killed in road incidents on Wednesday. Jacob Odeyemi (41). Carrigmore Lawns, Citywest, Dublin, died in a collision on the Naas Rd, Baldonnell; pedestrian John Flaherty (59), Tullyvoheen, Clifden, Co Galway, was killed on the Galway to Moycullen road.

An 82-year old pedestrian who was killed when struck by a van near her home in Co Kildare on Monday was named as Bridget Byrne, Laureldine, Ballymany, Newbridge.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times