'We loved you and we will miss you' - community mourns tragic loss of mum and daughters killed in Mayo crash

Una, Ciara and Saoirse Bowden

Locals gathered in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Moycullen on Wednesday evening to remember and mourn the mother and two daughters killed when their car collided with an articulated lorry as they drove home on Tuesday.

Una Bowden, 47, and her children Ciara, 14, and nine-year-old Saoirse died instantly in the horror accident on the N17 near Claremorris in Co Mayo on Tuesday afternoon.

Una was originally from Donegal and had been driving back from there to the family home in Moycullen, Co Galway, with her children when the crash occurred.

The driver of the lorry was not seriously injured in the incident. The road reopened on Wednesday morning. Una’s husband David, a project manager, was away working in Ethiopia this week. The Department of Foreign Affairs was tasked with getting in contact to inform him of the tragedy before his return to Ireland.

Locals said Una was heavily involved in the community in Moycullen and was hands on when it came to organising local events like youth discos and was also involved in setting up preschools and after school activities.

David and Una have been married for more than 15 years and were frequent travellers before they settled down in Galway with David still having to travel for work on a regular basis.

Una was also an avid fitness fanatic with a gym in Zambia posting several pictures of her completing CrossFit boot camps while the family were stationed there. The couple had also recently started renovations on their cottage home in Moycullen.

In a post on Wednesday evening, local basketball club Cumann Cispheile Mhaigh Cuilinn said: “It is with enormous sadness that Cumann Cispheile Mhaigh Cuilinn has learned of the tragic deaths of our neighbours and clubmates Una, Ciara, and Saoirse Bowden. The Bowdens were active in many sports throughout our community. Ciara had been selected for the Galway Area girls under-14 basketball team. The thoughts and prayers of everyone in Cumann Cispheile Mhaigh Cuilinn are with the family, friends, and teammates of the Bowden family. We cannot possibly fathom their grief but we send them our love and support.”

Oughterard Rugby also paid tribute saying the Bowdens were active in many sports throughout the community. They added: “Our thoughts and prayers in Oughterard Rugby are with dad and husband David, their extended family, friends, teammates and neighbours of the Bowden family.”

Locals in Moycullen gathered in the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Wednesday evening, where a book of condolences was set up. One entry read: “Una, Ciara & Saoirse, We loved you and we will miss you”. Another said: “Heartbreaking to lose such a fabulous family.”

Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said: “It’s a devastating day for the people of Mayo. Thinking of the families and friends of the woman and two girls who have lost their lives in Castlegar and of Tom and Eileen Mahon, who died in a fire in Swinford.”

The crash is the second major fatality along that stretch of road in recent years. In September 2017, three generations of a north Mayo family; Mary Ann Wilson, 67, her daughter Marcella, 39, and Marcella’s six-year-old son, Sean, died when the car they were travelling in collided with a truck there.

At the inquests into their deaths, the coroner raised concerns about the design of the road, onto which several secondary routes merge.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, gardai said: “Anyone with any information is asked to contact Claremorris Garda Station on 094 9372080, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

“An Garda Siochana is aware that images of the crash scene are currently in circulation. Out of respect for the family, we are requesting these images are not shared.”

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