'The community is so devastated': Locals pay tributes to mother and daughters killed in Mayo crash

Una Bowden and her daughters Ciara and Saoirse in a photo released by gardaai

TRIBUTES ARE CONTINUING to be paid following the deaths of a woman and her two daughters in a crash in Co Mayo on Tuesday afternoon.

Una Bowden (47) and her daughters Saoirse (14) and Ciara (9) were travelling along the N17 when their car was involved in a crash with an articulated truck.

It’s understood that Una’s husband David Bowden has been working abroad this week in Africa and was contacted by authorities about the deaths of his wife and daughters.

The family hail from Moycullen in west Galway.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Moycullen parish priest Fr Martin Whelan said the family were very involved in sports and social clubs in the local area and were “very well known”.

“The community is so devastated,” he said.

A service was held in Moycullen last night for the family, with classmates of the two girls in attendance.

“We would have had prayer service anyway yesterday for Spy Wednesday during Holy week, so we just dedicated that half an hour of prayer and remembered the family. It was also just an opportunity for people to gather, as well,” Fr Whelan said.

He said the girls’ schools are working with the National Education Psychological Service to provide support.

Also speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Oughterard Rugby Club PRO Julie Ann Brown said the club “are all devastated in Oughterard Rugby and in the wider community”.

“The Bowdens were very active in many sports, both in Maigh Cuilinn and in Oughterard, so it’s such a tragedy for the area. Three beautiful, kind, loving, caring ladies just gone in a moment,” Brown said.

She said that while people are in shock, they are coming together and remembering the Bowdens.

“They were very quiet girls, yet they had this beautiful energy about them and their smiles really lit up the rooms and the playing fields and every photo we have of them through the Oughterard girls’ rugby is of them smiling,” Brown said.