Sadness as young man who died in Muff crash named locally as Ash Harkin, from Derry

Ash Harkin, who died in a weekend crash in Inishowen, was a much-loved young man from Derry.

placeholder image — Ash Harkin, who died in a weekend crash in Inishowen, was a much-loved young man from Derry.

“We have had our share of tragedy up here in Inishowen, and it’s just awful that more families have been left grieving”

The young man who died following a single-vehicle road traffic collision in Inishowen at the weekend has been named locally as Ashlea (Ash) Harkin, from Derry.

Mr Harkin, who was aged in his 20s, died in a crash that occurred on the R238 at Ardmore, Muff, at approximately 9.45pm on Saturday night, May 16.

Emergency services, including paramedics, Gardaí and fire service personnel, rushed to the scene after his car left the road and collided with a tree near Claire the Baker’s roadside coffee kiosk.

Mr Harkin, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, was rushed by ambulance to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry for treatment. However, he was pronounced dead on Sunday morning.

Late of Mount Vernon, Culmore, Derry, Ash was the beloved son of Breda and Dave (Eleanor); Loving brother of Dáithí; and Devoted grandson of Olwyn, Alan, Marie and the late Pat.

He was a much-loved nephew of Dubhaltagh and Vicki and the precious boyfriend of Corrie-Lee.

His funeral arrangements will be confirmed tomorrow (Tuesday).

Meanwhile, local Sinn Féin County Councillor Terry Crossan has expressed his heartfelt sympathy to the family and spoke of the deep sadness being felt across Inishowen and the wider county following a series of fatal collisions over the weekend.

“It’s another road tragedy for Inishowen and Donegal,” Cllr Crossan said.

“We had two people killed near Donegal Town earlier on Saturday, and also a female pedestrian killed in Dublin while crossing the road. Four people killed in motor traffic accidents on Saturday alone is just unbelievable and so sad.”

“We have had our share of tragedy up here in Inishowen, and it’s just awful that more families have been left grieving.”

The Muff tragedy came just hours after another fatal collision on the N15 at Birchhill, between Donegal Town and Barnesmore Gap, where two people lost their lives, named as Caoilan Bushe from Letterbarrow, and Leon Shovlin of Ardara, and four others were injured in a multi-vehicle crash earlier on Saturday afternoon.

Inishowen Gardaí are now appealing for witnesses to come forward in relation to the Ardmore, Muff collision. They are particularly anxious to hear from anyone who travelled along the R238 between 9.30pm and 10pm on Saturday night and who may have camera or dash-cam footage.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact Buncrana Garda Station, the Garda Confidential Line, or any Garda station as investigations continue into the fatal crash.