GALWAY’S most senior Garda has asked parents and road users to prioritise safety in the wake of the Headford road tragedy last weekend that claimed two teenage lives and left two others with serious injuries.

Chief Superintendent Gerry Roche told the Connacht Tribune that the road carnage just had to stop with five young people having lost their lives on Galway roads so far this year.

“This carnage just has to stop on our roads. We are putting a specific policing plan in place for the Headford area, focusing on enforcement, community policing and education.

“We are also making a special appeal to all parents of children and teenagers to closely monitor and supervise their access to various social media influences,” said Chief Superintendent Roche.

He also expressed his sincere sympathy to the families of the two teenagers who died in the crash and to the families of the two injured teenagers.

Last weekend’s road tragedy occurred on a county road, close to the N84 Headford to Shrule Road shortly before 6am on Easter Monday morning last (April 10).

The VW Passat car being driven by one of the four teenagers crashed into a tree on the L6127 road at Pollacullaire with one of the occupants killed instantly while the second teenager was pronounced dead at University Hospital Galway a short time later.

The dead teenagers have been named as Lukas Joyce (14) from Farmerstown, Corrandulla, and Kirsty Bohan (14) from Ballyfruit, Headford.

The condition of the other two injured teenagers – both aged 13 – is understood to be serious but stable. Both are being treated for their injuries at University Hospital Galway.

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