Donegal crash that killed two pals, 18, may have been caused by animal as witness recalls heartbreaking final moments

AN inquest into the deaths of two teenage friends in Co Donegal has heard how the tragedy could have been caused by an animal crossing the road.

The 18-year-olds were killed when the car in which they were travelling lost control and ended up in a wooded area in Terrawee, Gleneely, at approximately 12.45am on November 6, 2023.

The families of Alana Harkin and Thomas Gallagher, gathered at Buncrana Courthouse today for the heartbreaking double-inquest, which heard the tragic last moments of the cherished teenagers.

The inquest heard that speed, alcohol or the condition of the Seat Ibiza car being driven by Alana were not considered factors in the fatal crash.

The victims were friends from Gleneely.

Alana had finished her Leaving Certificate the previous summer, while Thomas was in the final year of secondary school.

The inquest heard how there had originally been five people in the car.

All five had been in Simpson’s Bar and Restaurant in Carndonagh and were going home.

Alana had been working in Simpsons and had volunteered to give her four friends a lift home to various places.

Witness Patrick McKinney, who had also been working in Simpson’s earlier, told the inquest that they left the bar at 12.15am.

A woman sat in the front seat alongside Alana, and three other young men, including Patrick, sat in the back seats.

He told the inquest how he remembered nothing about the crash.

He said he had been asleep in the car, and then he remembered knocking on a woman’s door looking for help.

He then said he remembered being on a main road, talking to people and waiting for an ambulance.

Patrick, the sole survivor of the crash, was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital where he was treated for broken bones, fractured ribs and a bruised lung and had to be put in a back brace for six months.

The inquest also heard from local man Brian McGonagle, who was first on the scene of the crash.

He found Alana in the driver’s seat, whom he knew as his daughter had been best friends with her in school.

He said her face was covered in blood, but he managed to get her out of the car to begin CPR on her, which lasted for about 20 minutes, but there was no sign of life.

He went back to the car but could not see anyone,. However, when he flashed his torch in, he found another person lying in the stairwell of the back seat.

The young man, who turned out to be Thomas, was taken out of the car, and CPR was also commenced on the young man.

Gardai and other emergency services arrived on the scene, but despite the best efforts of all present, both Alana and Thomas were pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Pat McMyler, solicitor for the Harkin family, asked Mr McGonagle if he was aware there had been a lot of deer in the area, and this may have caused Alana to swerve, and he agreed.

Mr McGonagle said he had personally seen a lot of deer on the road, which had come down from the hills nearby.

Garda Forensic Collision Investigator Declan O’Connor said that on the night in question, it had been wet and dark, there had been no street lighting and that the road on which the crash occurred was governed by an 80kph speed limit.

He said the car had lost control and gone into a weaving pattern, was under-braking before hitting a road sign, striking a verge, becoming airborne, crossing over a small river and hitting a tree before coming to a rest in an upright position.

He added he was unable to establish an exact driving speed, but that as the car left the bank, it was travelling at a speed of 70kph.

Mr McMyler also put it to the garda that the presence of an animal could not be ruled out, as ‘something’ had caused Alana to lose control of the car, and this was also agreed.

Coroner Dr McCauley said that it was unclear why the car left the road and that her family have the view that there may have been an animal on the road.

The verdict returned by Dr McCauley in both cases was accidental death.