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"It's just total devastation" - Louth community reels from tragic road deaths of two women

The two women have since been named locally as Josie Duff and Kathy McDonald, who were first cousins aged in their 70s.

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Updated 08.40

THE N2 ROAD near Ardee, Co Louth, remains closed this morning after two women, both aged in their 70s, were struck and killed as they exited a bus yesterday evening.

Gardaí have confirmed the road remains closed. It is expected to reopen at 10am this morning.

The two women have since been named locally as Josie Duff (79) and Kathy McDonald (70). The two women were first cousins.

The collision occurred at about 6.30pm yesterday evening at Hunterstown, just south of Ardee.

Local councillor Jim Tenanty said that “everybody is just shocked” in the aftermath of accident.

“It’s just total devastation and shock, the news has gone around the community,” he said.

I called down to the scene myself but the gardaí had it blocked off. It’s terrible.

The two women had been crossing the road in order to reach their own vehicle when they were hit by an oncoming car.

The bodies of the two women were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital where a post-mortem is scheduled to take place today. The driver of the car was uninjured.

A forensic examination by Garda collision investigators is ongoing.

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to contact them either at Ardee Garda Station on 041 6871130, on the Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666111, or at any Garda station.

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8 Comments
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    Mute Micky
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    Jan 17th 2017, 7:49 AM

    Terrible tragedy. Rip.

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    Mute Liam John Bradshaw
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    Jan 17th 2017, 10:42 AM

    A shocking tragedy to hear of 2 people being killed. Sorry for the families trouble RIP, Very sad!

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    Mute Declan Lambe
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    Jan 17th 2017, 12:44 PM

    Think what you have to remember is that the bus + oncoming traffic would have their lights on making these two ladies very hard to see.

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    Mute Yorkie1892
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    Jan 17th 2017, 12:19 PM

    Horrible stretch of road the junction there is very dangerous coming funshog/drumconrath. Most people go up through ballypousta as it’s safer

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    Mute Linda Hughes
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    Jan 17th 2017, 9:56 AM

    Terrible my thoughts and prayers are with the families now! it seems that a lot of these accidents are all on country roads.

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    Mute Eugene O'Gorman
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    Jan 17th 2017, 10:28 AM

    @Linda Hughes: That’s a national road, linda – and a decent stretch with good visibility – which makes this much harder to understand. The junction just behind the camera position in the photo above is quite dangerous, though.

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    Mute Santa Carla
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    Jan 17th 2017, 10:35 AM

    It was black dark so I’d imagine they weren’t very visible. That’s the second fatal pedestrian accident on the N2 recently. From Ardee via Carrickmacross to Castleblaney, the N2 has a terrible record for fatal accidents in recent years

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    Mute keith mahon
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    Jan 17th 2017, 4:02 PM

    A stretch of road like many all over the country with ditches instead of footpaths or proper lighting or warning road signs. That stretch of road only was only opend back up to the public after safety work was carried out?

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