Local sport stars in crash tragedies
Two Northern Ireland sport stars have been involved in separate road crashes over the weekend.
Monday, 02 November 2009
In Londonderry, Martin David Gallagher, 24, a runner from Sandale Park in the city, died after being hit by a car.
The hit-and-run incident, involving a black Volkswagen Passat, happened on the Racecourse Road in the Shantallow area early on Sunday morning.
The victim's father, also called Martin, said he could not believe what had happened.
Speaking about his son, Mr Gallagher said: "A great young fella who gave nobody no bother. All he was interested in was ... just football, running. He was going with a nice girl.
"Always raising money for the Foyle Hospice and Foyle Search and Rescue charities."
'Sadly missed'
He added: "He'll be sadly missed. Certainly me and Elizabeth were very proud of him."
A 22-year old man was arrested and has since been released on bail.
SDLP Foyle MLA Mary Bradley, who knows the Gallagher family extremely well and whose constituency office is on Racecourse Road, has expressed her condolences.
"My heart goes out to the young man's family. They are a very good, honest and hard-working family and this is a terrible tragedy for them", she said.
"I know that the community will gather around the family at this most unbearable time and hope that they can take that as a positive for how well liked the he was."
"Words cannot describe the pain and suffering that results from a road traffic death because it is so immediate and final. My thoughts and prayers are with the family that, in time, they can learn to cope the best they can," she added.
In Armagh, Gaelic footballer Padraig Hollywood, 17, remains in a critical condition in hospital after a one-car crash on the Newtownhamilton Road on Saturday.
The teenager, who featured in the Armagh minor side which picked up the All-Ireland title at Croke Park in September, sustained serious head injuries.
He has been transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
Another boy aged 17 and a 15-year-old girl were also injured, but their conditions are not thought to be life-threatening.
© UTV News