Ireland Under investigation: fatal single-vehicle crash on R194 at Clonfin, Longford
On 1 January 2022, Ciaran McDonnell, a 23-year-old man from Longford town, died in a single-vehicle crash on the R194 between Granard and Balinalee at Clonfin, County Longford. The car he was in was found partially submerged in water, and his body was recovered by gardaí's sub aqua unit that evening. He was buried at Ballymacormack Cemetery after a funeral reported on 6 January 2022. As of the latest reports, gardaí are still determining the cause and exact time of the crash and have appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage.
- Reported2 Jan
6 reports - Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The car left the road, struck metal fencing and came to rest on its side, partially submerged in water.
- Ciaran McDonnell, from Longford town and aged 23 according to one report, died in the crash and was the sole occupant of the car.
- Where
- The crash occurred on the R194 between Granard and Balinalee at Clonfin, County Longford, and the car was some distance from the road.
- When
- Gardaí and emergency services were alerted shortly after 10:40am on Saturday, 1 January 2022.
- The car was found partially submerged shortly before 11am on 1 January 2022, although one report gives the date as 2 January 2022.
- Investigation
- The Garda Water Unit searched the water, and the sub aqua unit recovered the body shortly after 8pm.
- The body was taken to the morgue at Mullingar Hospital for a postmortem, and the Coroner was notified.
- The scene was preserved for examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators, and the road was closed with local diversions in place.
- Gardaí are trying to determine the cause and exact time of the crash.
- Gardaí have appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage from anyone who travelled the road between Granard and Balinalee before the incident was reported.
- Other details
- Reports state that four people died in separate road incidents since New Year's Eve.
- Family and friends paid tributes online, and his brother Martin spoke at the funeral at St Mel's Cathedral, as reported on 6 January 2022.
- He was buried at Ballymacormack Cemetery, and Cllr PJ Reilly said the events shocked the local community.
46 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe car left the road and struck metal fencing before entering the water (extra.ie)
- whatThe body of a male in his 20s was recovered from the water by the Garda Water Unit (extra.ie)
- whatThe deceased was the sole occupant of the car (extra.ie)
- whatA man in his early twenties was killed in a single vehicle road accident outside Granard. (longfordleader.ie)
- whatThe young man was the sole occupant of the car. (longfordleader.ie)
- whatHe lost control, collided with fencing, and the vehicle ended up on its side under a pool of water. (longfordleader.ie)
- whatCiaran McDonnell was killed in a single-vehicle road crash outside Granard (longfordleader.ie, leitrimobserver.ie)
- whatThe car was some distance from the road and partially submerged in water (longfordleader.ie, leitrimobserver.ie)
- whatCiaran McDonnell was in his early 20s and from Longford town (longfordleader.ie)
- whatMcDonnell was the sole occupant of the car (longfordleader.ie)
- whatA young man was killed in a single vehicle road crash in the Midlands. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatHe was in his early 20s (leitrimobserver.ie)
- whatHe was the sole occupant of the car (leitrimobserver.ie)
- whatCiaran McDonnell, 23, died after the car he was driving was found partially submerged in water. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe car was found partially submerged in water off the R194 between Granard and Balinalee at Clonfin (extra.ie, longfordleader.ie)
- whereThe crash occurred on the R194 between Granard and Balinalee at Clonfin (longfordleader.ie)
- whereThe car left the road between Granard and Ballinalee (R194) at Clonfin in Longford. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whereHe was from Longford town (leitrimobserver.ie)
- whereThe car left the road between Granard and Balinalee on the R194 at Clonfin (leitrimobserver.ie)
- whereThe crash occurred off the R194 between Granard and Ballinalee at Clonfin, County Longford. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred shortly after 10:40am on Saturday, 1 January 2022 (extra.ie)
- whenGardaí and emergency services were alerted shortly after 10:40am. (longfordleader.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred shortly before 11am on 1 January 2022 (longfordleader.ie)
- whenThe car was found partially submerged in water shortly before 11am on the day of the crash. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whenThe car was found shortly before 11am on 2 January 2022 (leitrimobserver.ie)
- investigationThe scene was preserved for examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators (extra.ie)
- investigationGardaí are appealing for witnesses and camera footage from the area (extra.ie)
- investigationMembers of the Gardaí's sub aqua unit retrieved the body shortly after 8pm. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationA postmortem was to be conducted at Mullingar mortuary. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationThe scene was preserved pending a full garda forensic collision investigation. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationThe deceased was removed to the Morgue at Mullingar Hospital and the Coroner was notified. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationGardaí appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage from anyone travelling along the road between Granard and Ballinalee before the incident was reported shortly before 11am. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationGardaí are trying to determine the cause and exact time of the crash (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie, leitrimobserver.ie)
- investigationGardaí launched a public appeal for dashcam footage from the area (longfordleader.ie, leitrimobserver.ie)
- investigationGardaí have launched a public appeal for anyone with dash cam footage from the area. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe road was closed at the crash site with local diversions in place (extra.ie)
- otherThe deceased was removed to the Morgue at Mullingar Hospital (extra.ie)
- otherThe Coroner was notified (extra.ie)
- otherFour people lost their lives in separate road incidents since New Year's Eve (longfordleader.ie)
- otherFamily and friends have paid tributes to the victim online. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherHis brother Shane paid an emotional tribute saying he was broken by the loss (leitrimobserver.ie)
- otherCllr PJ Reilly said the events stunned the local community (leitrimobserver.ie)
- otherBurial took place in Ballymacormack Cemetery. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherCiaran McDonnell was an avid Manchester United supporter. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHis brother Martin spoke at the funeral, saying the family's hearts were broken. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherCiaran McDonnell is survived by his parents William and Patricia, brothers, sisters, grandparents, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, girlfriend Mandy, and many friends. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 6 Jan2022Heartbroken brother of Irishman killed in crash tells funeral family are broken
Funeral coverage; brother Martin spoke at the service; burial at Ballymacormack Cemetery; Fr Michael McGrath delivered eulogy
victim, Ciaran McDonnell, 23, male, irish (judged from name)Ciaran McDonnell - 3 Jan2022'Our hearts are broken': family and friends pay moving tribute to young man killed in Longford road crash
Provides tributes from family and friends, confirms the car was partially submerged in water some distance from the road, and notes Gardaí are still determining the cause and exact time of the crash.
victim, Ciaran McDonnell, early 20s, male, irish (judged from name)Ciaran McDonnell - 2 Jan2022'Our hearts are broken': Family and friends pay moving tributes to young man killed in road crash in Midlands
Follow-up tribute piece naming the victim as Ciaran McDonnell, adding family and friend tributes, the car's position partly submerged in water, and a Garda appeal for dash cam footage.
victim, Ciaran McDonnell, early 20s, male, irish (judged from name)Ciaran McDonnell - 2 Jan2022'Our hearts are broken': family and friends pay moving tribute to young man killed in Longford road crash
Names the victim as Ciaran McDonnell in his early 20s from Longford town; confirms the car was partially submerged in water; provides tributes from his brother Shane and friends; notes Gardaí appeal for dashcam footage; mentions four other road deaths since New Year's Eve.
victim, Ciaran McDonnell, early 20s, male, irish (judged from name)Ciaran McDonnell - 2 Jan2022Gardaí in Longford appeal for witnesses after man (20s) killed in single vehicle Granard crash
Provides initial crash details: time of discovery (shortly after 10:40am), mechanism (car lost control, hit fencing, ended up on its side under a pool of water), recovery of the body by the sub aqua unit shortly after 8pm, postmortem at Mullingar mortuary, and a formal appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage.
victim, early 20s, male - 2 Jan2022Garda probe after body found in car partially submerged in water - Extra.ie
Provides initial crash details: the car struck metal fencing before entering the water, the Garda Water Unit conducted a search, the road was closed for forensic examination, and the body was taken to Mullingar Hospital morgue.
victim, 20s, male