The priest who will bury one of two young men killed in yesterday’s horrific road crash has pleaded with other young people to learn lessons from their deaths.
Shaun and Matthew
Tragic Shaun Graham, 19, and Matthew Crawford, 21, died when the car in which they were passengers hit a tree outside Rathmullan.
The two young Letterkenny men were killed instantly while two others in the car are being treated at Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital.
Last night Fr Eamonn McLaughlin, who will celebrate the funeral mass of Shaun Graham tomorrow at St Eunan’s Cathedral, appealed to young people not to think they are invincible.
Matthew Crawford will also be buried following funeral mass at the Church of the Irish Martyrs.
Fr McLaughlin said “It’s heartbreaking. It’s horrifying. It’s frightening. The young are our future but we are seeing our future disappear before our very eyes.
“We need to get the message out that we cannot afford to lose any more young people.
“Young people – you are irreplaceable. You are not invincible. We need you. Look after each other.
“The life of everyone is a beautiful gift and treasure from the Lord. We are not machines though. We are flesh and bone.
On the whole we have great cars and relatively good roads. But we are only human and we must take care of ourselves and each other.
“Please use our roads and our vehicles with care,” he said.
Gardai are still carrying out an investigation into the cause of the crash which saw the young men’s Honda Integra car hit a tree at Barr’s Cottage in Rathmullan flipping it over onto its roof.
The men had earlier attended the Rathmullan Festival and were traveling to a house party when the accident happened.
Meanwhile Fr McLaughlin has appealed to anyone who may have lost loved ones through road carnage to reach out to the devastated families of Shaun and Matthew.
“I would encourage families who have been through tragedy of this sort to share your time, love and experience with these families now.
“Help them. Send them a letter, give them a call, pay them a visit in the weeks and months ahead.
“Let Shaun and Matthew speak to us all in our hearts and minds, especially to our young, and let us listen quietly,” he said.