'Just devastating': Mother and daughter (6) killed in Donegal road crash named locally
Stephen Maguire and Vivienne Clarke
The mother and daughter killed in a road tragedy on the Inishowen Peninsula in Co Donegal on Wednesday evening have been named locally.
They were Natalie McLaughlin and her 6-year-old daughter Ella from Carndonagh.
Ms McLaughlin's partner, Tyrone Irwin, is still in a serious condition at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry but his injuries are understood to be non-life-threatening.
The couple's other daughter, Rhea Rose (2), was transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast from Altnagelvin for specialist treatment but her injuries are also understood to not be life-threatening.
The crash between a car and a van happened at 6.30pm on Wednesday on the the R240 at Glentogher, Carndonagh.
Ella was pronounced dead at the scene while her mother, father and younger sister were rushed to the nearest hospital across the Border in Derry.
The driver of the van, who is in his late teens, was treated at the scene but his injuries are not understood to be serious.
Ms McLaughlin was initially treated at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry but was transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where she died on Thursday afternoon as a result of her injuries.
Ms McLaughlin, who was in her 20s, was well-known in Carndonagh where she worked as a nurse in a local doctor's surgery.
She qualified with a Bachelor of Science in Adult Nursing from Ulster University and began working as a registered nurse in 2022.
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.
Cathaoirleach of the Inishowen Municipal Authority, Councillor Martin McDermott, said his thoughts and prayers are with the entire family at this trying time.
"Words fall short at this time, what can anybody say? They are such a lovely family and so well respected in our local community.
"It's just devastating. The loss of anybody on our roads is difficult for any community to take.
"But the loss of a mother and daughter, particularly given the fact that they are so young, is even more poignant and more difficult to accept.
"People are just numb and there is very little I can add to that other than to keep them all in our thoughts and prayers."
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."