15-year-old Tadhg Callaghan Carter killed at Donegal International Rally
A 15-year-old boy, Tadhg Callaghan Carter, was killed when a participating car veered off the road and struck spectators at the 12th stage of the Donegal International Rally at Trentagh, near Kilmacrennan, shortly before 5pm on Saturday 20 June 2026. Two other spectators were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The remainder of the rally was cancelled, and Motorsport Ireland and An Garda Síochána began a full investigation into the circumstances, with the local coroner notified and the scene preserved for technical examination. Tadhg, a student at Saint Eunan's College who had just completed his Junior Certificate, was pronounced deceased at Letterkenny University Hospital. He was laid to rest at a funeral mass on Wednesday 24 June 2026.
- Reported21 Jun
2 reports - Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A participating car at the Donegal International Rally veered off the road and struck a number of rally spectators.
- Tadhg Callaghan Carter, a 15-year-old boy, was killed in the incident and pronounced deceased at Letterkenny University Hospital.
- Two other spectators were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and were in stable condition.
- Where
- The incident occurred at Trentagh, near Kilmacrennan, on the 12th stage of the Donegal International Rally in County Donegal.
- When
- The incident occurred shortly before 5pm on Saturday 20 June 2026.
- Cause
- A competing car veered off the road and struck the victim.
- Investigation
- Motorsport Ireland and An Garda Síochána began a full investigation, the local coroner was notified, a post-mortem examination was to be arranged, and the scene was preserved for technical examination.
- Gardaí appealed for people not to share or repost video footage of the incident on social media.
- Other details
- The remainder of the Donegal International Rally was cancelled.
- Tadhg was a student at Saint Eunan's College secondary school and had just completed his Junior Certificate.
- Tadhg Callaghan Carter was laid to rest at a funeral mass on Wednesday 24 June 2026.
22 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA teenage boy in his mid-teens was killed in the incident (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA participating car struck a number of rally spectators (irishmirror.ie)
- whatTwo other spectators are receiving hospital treatment for non-life-threatening injuries (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe victim was 15 years old (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe victim was pronounced deceased at hospital (irishmirror.ie)
- whatTwo other people were taken to hospital following the incident (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe other two people were in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe victim was a student at Saint Eunan's College secondary school (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe victim had just completed his Junior Certificate (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at Trentagh, near Kilmacrennan (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe accident occurred on the 12th stage of the Donegal International Rally (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at the Donegal International Rally (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at Trentagh during the 12th stage of the race (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe victim was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred shortly before 5pm on Saturday 20 June 2026 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred on Saturday 20 June 2026 (irishmirror.ie)
- causeA competing car veered off the road and struck the victim (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe local Coroner has been notified and a post-mortem examination will be arranged (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe scene has been preserved for a technical examination (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí are appealing for people not to share or repost video footage of the incident (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationMotorsport Ireland and An Garda Síochána have begun a full investigation into the circumstances of the accident (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe remainder of the Donegal International Rally was cancelled (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 24 Jun2026Heartbreaking scenes at funeral mass of teen killed in Donegal rally tragedy
Funeral mass details, tributes from the parish priest, and information about the victim's family and school.
victim, Tadhg Callaghan Carter, 15, male, irish (judged from name)Tadhg Callaghan Carter - 21 Jun2026Teenager killed in Donegal Rally tragedy as Gardai request videos not be shared
Adds details on the cancellation of the remainder of the rally, the two other spectators with non-life-threatening injuries, the coroner notification and post-mortem, the preservation of the scene for technical examination, and the appeal not to share video footage on social media.
victim, mid-teens, male