'Tough time all round for Cookstown' as area suffers second crash fatality in days
East Tyrone has suffered its second road fatality in mere days, as news emerged that a man in his 80s had been killed as a result of a crash.
Police said tonight that Brendan Conlan, 83 and from the Cookstown area, had died in hospital over a week after being injured.
He was driving a grey Peugeot 208 which collided with a red VW Caddy on the Tamlaght Road just on the edge of Coagh at about 4.35pm on October 20.
His death followed that of Nora O'Hagan, 68, also from the Cookstown area.
On Saturday the PSNI said she had died in hospital too following a crash on October 16 on the Woodlough Road south of Dungannon.
Her funeral is today at 11.30am at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Cookstown, followed by burial afterwards in Forthill Cemetery.
Sinn Fein councillor John McNamee was visiting the wake of Mrs O'Hagan today when he happened to run into some members of Mr Conlan's family too.
He said the two seperate crashes affecting families in the same area was "unreal".
He told the News Letter that it was "a tough time all round for Cookstown".
Councillor McNamee said Mr Conlan had been a bus driver, adding: "The man went through life, getting to his 83rd year, and sadly what happened, the car accident, is unbelievable.
"He always liked to go to football matches and stuff like that, was a big GAA man and liked to go to Tyrone games. He always liked the challenge of a championship match.
"It's devastating for the town. All you can do is pray for everybody involved."
Meanwhile, funeral details are now out for two brothers who were killed in a Co Antrim road crash between a lorry and a car at about 1pm on Friday on the Frosses Road.
The funeral for Samuel Holmes, 75, will be in Murdock’s Funeral Home, 2a Windsor Avenue, Coleraine tomorrow [Wednesday] at 1.30pm followed by interment in Ballymoney Cemetery.
IT says: "Friends and family are welcome at Murdock’s Funeral Home on Tuesday between 6pm and 9pm."
His funeral notice describes him as "loving dad of Paul, Kevin, Danny, Samantha and Rebecca and devoted grandad of Amelie, Amber, Joshua, Layla, Lucy and Jude".
The service for his brother Desmond Holmes, 82, will be at Antrim and Newtownabbey Crematorium on Thursday at 10am.
His funeral notice describes him as the "dearly beloved husband of Helen, proud father of Jenny, Danny, Alun, Eddie and Charlotte and a much-loved grandfather of Jack, Liam, Lizzy, Roisin, Isaac, Becky, Gwyn, Ellie, Patrick, Sophie Mae, Logan, Johnny and Harris".
It also adds: "Family and friends welcome at James McMullan and Son Funeral Home [in Ballymoney] on Tuesday between 4pm and 6pm."
In a post on social media today, Dervock FC said: "Both teams held a minute's silence on Saturday morning as the sad news came through of the passing of former manager Sammy Holmes and his brother Dessie.
"Everyone at the club would like to send their condolences to the Holmes family including Kevin, Paul and Danny who are all former players at the club. Our thoughts are with you all at this sad time."