Roma Downey on 'unspeakable grief' of latest Inishowen road tragedy

Actress Roma Downey says her family is experiencing ‘unspeakable grief’ following the death of a relative in a horrific crash in Inishowen.

Thomas Gallagher, who died alongside Alana Harkin in a collision near Gleneely in the early hours of Monday, was the son of Helen Gallagher, a niece of the Touched By An Angel star.

The 18-year-olds were returning home when the Seat Ibiza in which they were travelling left the road at Terrawee on the R238 Gleneely-Culdaff road.

“Please join me in praying for my family over in Ireland as they are dealing with heartbreaking and agonizing loss,” Roma wrote on Instagram.

Tributes pour in as Inishowen rests under a 'veil of sorrow’ following double tragedy

Two 18-year-old friends were killed in a road traffic accident near Gleneely in the early hours of Monday morning.

“Thomas was killed in a road accident Sunday night. He and another teenager died in an automobile accident in Donegal. Unspeakable grief for both these families.”

Roma described Thomas, who was a sixth year student at Moville Community School, as ‘such a lovely boy’.

She wrote: “Kind, thoughtful, funny and smart. Such a tragic loss for them. My heart breaks for them and I know Thomas will be sorely missed by everyone, his Mom and Dad his brothers and sister , grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins and his whole circle of friends and community.

“He was dearly loved. Please please pray for both these families who lost a child and especially pray for our Helen and Dominick that the Lord will lovingly carry them through this tragedy and comfort their broken hearts.”

Separate funerals will take place for 18-year-olds Alana Harkin and Thomas Gallagher, who tragically lost their lives in the single-vehicle collision at Terrawee, Gleneely.

Alana, late of Falmore, Gleneely, will be laid to rest following Funeral Mass at 11am in St Mary’s Church, Bocan, Culdaff.

Many of the same mourners will attend the Funeral Mass of Thomas, late of Gemstone, Gleneely. Thomas’ funeral will take place at 2pm in St. Mary's Church, Ballybrack, Moville.

On Tuesday afternoon, the remains of Alana and Thomas were removed from the Eternal Light Chapel of Rest in Letterkenny and returned to their heartbroken families. People straddled the roadsides as the hearses carrying the teenage pals snaked their way through the Inishowen peninsula.