Young woman (20s) and six-year-old girl dead after Donegal road crash

A woman aged in her 20s has died from injuries sustained in a crash in Co Donegal which also killed a six-year-old girl.

The collision, involving a van and a car, took place on the R240 at Carrowmore in Glentogher, Carndonagh, before 6.30pm on Wednesday.

Gardaí said on Wednesday that a six-year-old child had died and several other people had been injured.

On Thursday evening, they said the driver of the car, a woman aged in her 20s, died after being transported for treatment at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

Another girl, who was a rear passenger, is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Royal Victoria Hospital.

A man in his 30s, who was the front seat passenger, is also being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

An Garda Síochána are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact them.

A spokesperson said: “Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between 6pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday July 2 2025, are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardaí.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Buncrana Garda Station at 074 932 0540, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”

The road has since reopened following a technical examination.

Earlier on Thursday, Carndonagh Sinn Féin councillor Albert Doherty said the local community was "raw with grief" at the news.

"This tragic accident has just confirmed the terrible news that we heard after the accident," he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.

"Our local community just feel devastated that once again a local family have been challenged and having to face the loss of a loved one – it's terrible news here.”

Cllr Doherty said the road in question has been the scene of previous fatal accidents.

"Unfortunately locally here in Carndonagh at the turn of this year, we had the tragic loss of a young man. And here again now, a local family are having to face the terrible, terrible burden of losing a loved one."

The parish priest in Carndonagh spoke of the shock and disbelief being experienced in the community.

Fr Con McLaughlin told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne that while he did not attend at the scene of the accident, he went straight to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry, where the scene was "something that I think I’ll never forget."

"In the community there's a shock and a disbelief. Now one can only imagine what the family are going through and I witnessed the pain in the hospital last night.

"You see, pain is no stranger to the people of Inishowen as there have been so many tragic deaths. I remember being present in Buncrana when there was a series of multiple deaths there between 2005 and 2008. And once again, tragedy has struck our people, and I'm quite sure it revives many painful memories for many people.

"I just can't find words to express how people will feel today and how I personally feel too having been involved in some of them in the past."