A LEAVING CERT STUDENT FROM CO TIPPERARY WAS FATALLY INJURED AND TWO OF HER FRIENDS SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THE CAR IN WHICH THEY WERE TRAVELLING COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE OUTSIDE PORTUMNA IN COUNTY GALWAY AT ABOUT 11.30 YESTERDAY MORNING.

THE TEENAGER HAS BEEN NAMED AS 17 YEAR OLD CLAIRE PRENDERGAST FROM DANGAN, GOLDEN, CO TIPPERARY.

SHE  WAS TRAVELLING IN A CAR WITH TWO FRIENDS, ALSO FROM GOLDEN, WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED AND THEY SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES AND ARE BEING TREATED AT GALWAY UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.

CLAIRE WAS A FRONT-SEAT PASSENGER, AND WAS A LEAVING CERT STUDENT IN CASHEL COMMUNITY SCHOOL.

THE THREE WERE TRAVELLING IN A NISSAN MICRA WHEN IT WAS IN COLLISION WITH A MERCEDES BENZ, WHICH WAS TRAVELLING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

THE FOUR OCCUPANTS OF THAT CAR – THREE GENERATIONS OF ONE FAMILY – WERE TAKEN TO PORTIUNCULA HOSPITAL IN BALLINASLOE, BUT THEIR INJURIES WERE DESCRIBED AS “NOT LIFE-THREATENING”. THEY ARE FROM LOUGHREA, CO GALWAY.

THE CRASH HAPPENED AT A BEND ON THE ROAD BETWEEN PORTUMNA AND KILLIMOR.