Portglenone: Married couple and brother named as victims
- Published
Married couple Paul and Varena Creelman, and Varena's brother Phil Hegarty, were killed outside Portglenone on Monday.
Three people who died in a two-vehicle crash in County Antrim were "well respected" members of their community, a local councillor who knew them has said.
Married couple Paul and Varena Creelman, and Varena's brother Phil Hegarty, were killed outside Portglenone on Monday.
They were from Kilrea, County Londonderry.
Cllr Sean Bateson said it was an "absolutely unbelievable tragedy".
The three victims, thought to be in their 50s, were travelling in a silver Volkswagen Passat on the Lisnahushin Road when the collision occurred.
The man driving the second car, a black Audi, was taken to hospital as a precaution.
Mr Bateson, a Sinn Féin councillor, said the community of Kilrea was in a sense of "utter disbelief" and "shock".
The police have closed a number of roads following the crash
"They were lovely, lovely people. There wasn't a day went past whenever you didn't go up the street or go to the shops and you didn't come across Phil or Varena or Paul and chat," he told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.
"There was always a smile on their face, they were always having a good laugh, having a bit of craic with you. They were just genuine, lovely people."
Cllr Bateson said the family is in "a sense of disbelief and shock".
"It's going to be a tough few days, weeks and months ahead but I know the community of Kilrea will really rally around the family and do what they can to try and help them," he said.
Martin McWilliams, chairman of the local GAA club, Kilrea Pearses, said they were "a good family" that the community knew well.
"It's really, really shocking news. It's something the area didn't need or really anybody didn't need at this stage," he said.
"It's just really, really tragic for the whole family and the children left behind."
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Cllr Bateson said the road was known to be "quite a blackspot" for accidents.
"This isn't the first time there's been an accident on this part of the road, so hopefully it can be looked into in the foreseeable future," he said.
On Monday, TUV councillor Stewart McDonald said it was a "very, very dangerous" road.
"There's been fatalities here before in the past and there has been road improvements to highlight the crossroad and the junction ahead," he said.
- Published27 July 2020
