Fatal 70-year-old road victim praised as loyal SDLP man

The victim of the crash was named as James Brendan O’Connor (commonly known as Brendan), aged 70.

He was struck on Culmore Road, which runs between the Foyle Bridge in the north of Londonderry to the border village of Muff, on Sunday.

He was a former chairman of the SDLP’s District Executive in Londonderry.

Paying tribute to him was veteran SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan, who called him a “complete gentleman, committed to his own politics but always respectful of others”.

The party said he had produced campaign material for John Hume, and described him as a “design professional”, adding that he had also been a grandfather and a husband to his widow Mo.

Mr Durkan dubbed him thoughtful, loyal to the party and a “natural storyteller”, adding that he was “particularly enthusiastic about the European project and would have been passionate in the forthcoming referendum”.