Published Sunday, 21 October 2012
Gardaí are investigating the crash. (© Getty)
A two-month-old baby girl and her sister, aged two, died in the collision near the N17 turn off for Dunmore, Tuam at around 1.45pm on Sunday.
They were with their father, who was walking on the hard shoulder, when a car hit them.
The little girls were taken to University College Hospital Galway where they were pronounced dead.
The girl's father and the motorist, who was the car's sole occupant, are being treated in hospital for injuries described as not life-threatening.
Local councillor Michael Connolly said the incident was an "absolute tragedy".
"It's a tragedy for the family and a tragedy for the whole community in the Tuam area," he said.
"Words cannot describe the loss this family has suffered.
"A father brings his family out for a walk on a Sunday and this happens - could anything be worse than that?"
The road was closed following the incident.