School leads tributes to Co Down road death teenager

Tributes have been paid to an A-level student who lost his life in a road accident on Tuesday, the first of two road deaths in as many days.

Conall O’Hare was aged just 18 when his car crashed on the Ballydugan Road outside Downpatrick at around 10.30pm on Tuesday. He will be laid to rest after his Requiem Mass at Saint Patrick’s Church, Bryansford tomorrow at 11am.

Conall was a Year 14 student at St Patrick’s Grammar, Downpatrick.

The school paid tribute to him a touching statement.

“The community of St Patrick’s Grammar School is devastated to learn of the untimely and tragic death of our Year 14 student Conall O’Hare,” the statement read.

“We would like to offer our most heartfelt condolences to the entire family circle, especially his mum Linda, our former colleague, and his many friends, at this heart breaking time.”

His school’s parents and friends association also paid tribute, saying: “The Red High Parents and Friends Association are profoundly saddened to learn of the untimely and tragic death of Year 14 student, Conall O’Hare. We would like to offer our most sincere, heartfelt condolences to his family and friends at this sad time.”

The second young man to lose his life on Northern Ireland’s roads this week was James Campbell, from Gilford in Co Down, a 21-year-old motorcyclist who died following a collision with a tractor on the Ballymacanallen Road outside Gilford at around 1.25pm on Wednesday.

In a death notice, Mr Campbell was described as the “beloved son of Christine and Martin and dear brother of Martin, Connor and Sinead.”

Funeral details for the 21-year-old have yet to be announced.