Three people died in weekend road crashes, taking death toll so far to 36 this year
Three people died in separate road traffic collisions over the weekend, bringing the number of fatalities on Northern Ireland's roads this year to 36 – a 64% increase by the same date last year.
Matthew McIlroy tragically passed away following a single-vehicle collision in Ballyclare on Friday evening, 26th June.
It is the second tragedy to hit his family in the past year, with his mother Laura passing away suddenly in November.
His was the third death on NI's roads since Friday.
A Portadown man, 21-year-old Shane Caulfied died in a single vehicle road accident in Maguiresbridge, also on Friday, at about 1:30am. The driver and another passenger suffered non-life threatening injuries, while the driver was later arrested.
A male motorcyclist, aged 55 and from Bellaghy died on the roads in Cushendall around 1pm on Sunday. Police have not yet released his name.
According to PSNI figures, the latest deaths, up until midnight 28 June takes the death toll on NI roads this year so far to 36, a 64% increase on last year's figure of 22.
The number of pedestrians and passengers killed are both up from five to eight, with three of the pedestrians who died aged under 16.
The number of drivers killed is up from seven to 13.
This year has been particularly bad for motorcyclist deaths, six males aged 24-64, compared to only three in each of the previous two years.
As usual, the majority of deaths took pace on rural roads where speed limits exceed 40mph - 25 of the 36 deaths.
Police said Mr McIlory died after a black Audi A5 car crashed and overturned in the Green Road area of Ballyclare around 6:45pm on Friday.
Police, paramedics and firefighters attended the scene but sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a family notice published on Monday, Mr McIlroy's family said he was "proud daddy" to Binky and step-dad to Jenson and "beloved partner" of Zoe.
It also noted he was the loving son of the late Laura (who passed away suddenly in November) and caring brother to Mya and partner Theo.
A Service of Thanksgiving will be held in Matthew’s late home, 64 Paisley Road, Carrickfergus, BT38 9AH on Thursday 2 July at 2pm followed by interment in Victoria Cemetery.
The notice said: "Matthew will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his entire family circle. Your love is always with us, your place no-one can fill, in life we loved your dearly, in death we love you still."
The funeral of Shane Caulfield from Portadown, who died in the collision in Maguiresbridge, took place on Monday morning.
A family notice said he was from Baltylum Meadows in Portadown and was the beloved son of Dalene (Christopher) and Tony, dear brother of Calum.
He reposed in his aunt Ellen Borsey's home in Ashgrove Lodge, Portadown from where he left for Requiem Mass at Church of St John the Baptist church in Drumcree at 10am on Monday.
Meanwhile, officers investigating a road traffic collision involving a male pedestrian and a car in Dromore, Co Down, have released a 20-year-old man on bail to allow for further enquiries.
The incident in the early hours of Sunday left the 28-year-old man critically ill in hospital.