Co Tyrone cannot tolerate any longer the “level of slaughter” on one of the most dangerous roads on the island, campaigners have said following the deaths of two teenagers.
Kamile Vaicikonyte (17), a pupil at St Ciaran’s College in Ballygawley, and 19-year-old Jamie Moore died on the A5 just a day after her school held a poignant event remembering former students who lost their lives on the road.
Niall McKenna, chair of the A5 Enough is Enough campaign group, said the latest “tragic fatalities...of two young people cut down in their prime, demonstrate the urgency of the delivery of the new A5″.
Mr McKenna said: “The catastrophic mix of traffic on this road, which was designed for a bygone era, is resulting in an accident and death-rate that can only be described as grotesque.
“The ongoing carnage is devastating families and communities in this locale.” Members of the group urged Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd to move ahead with the A5 upgrade at a meeting in March.
“The people of this area cannot tolerate this level of slaughter on this road any longer. We beg you to deliver on the promise of July 2007 when the scheme was first given the go-ahead.
“There is a palpable sense of shock and horror in this community today as two more deaths are announced just three weeks after the previous fatality, Oonagh Burns and two weeks prior to that, the death of Caolan Devlin.
“The local community are terrified to see family members go out on journeys on the A5, given the ever-increasing number of fatalities, but it is impossible to traverse this region without being forced to use it.”
The deaths in the accident near Omagh brings to 56 the number who have lost their lives on the A5 since a planned upgrade of the main road from Dublin to Derry was first announced 17 years ago.
Ms Vaicikonyte, from Augnacloy, was a Year 13 pupil at St Ciaran’s. Originally from Lithuania, she joined the school in Year 10, principal Paul Lavery said.
“The entire St. Ciaran’s community is deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of our Year 13 pupil, Kamile Vaicikonyte,” Mr Lavery said.
“Kamile was a bubbly, outgoing girl who was very popular with both staff and pupils. She joined our school in Year 10 and spoke excitedly about her hopes and dreams, which included going to university.
“We have been profoundly saddened by her death and our hearts go out to Kamile’s parents, sister and wider family circle.”
Mr Moore, from Omagh, was formerly a pupil at the town’s High School. It is understood the two young people had been in a relationship for just a few weeks before the accident.
A death notice for Mr Moore said he was the “dearly beloved son of Karen and Jonathan, a devoted brother of Nathan, loving grandson of John and Ena Arnold and Thomas Moore and the late Ann. A much-loved nephew and cousin”.
Christos Gaitatzis, the principal of Omagh High School, said Mr Moore joined the school in 2016 and completed his GCSEs before leaving in 2021.
“Jamie was a pleasant young man and always tried to help the pupils and staff around him. He showed genuine kindness to others and he engaged positively with many school events offering his time to be part of the community,” said Mr Gaitatzis.
“His brother Nathan, a year older than him, was also a pupil in the school. Jamie was a great athlete and he demonstrated that in our sports days but also in the football pitch representing the school successfully in many football competitions.
“The school community is devastated with the news. He will be remembered fondly for his kindness and pleasant manner.”
Mr Moore played for Beragh Swifts. In a statement, the club said: “Everyone at BSFC is shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic passing of Jamie Moore.”
The PSNI said the two young people died as a result of a road traffic collision in the Doogary Road area of Omagh on Tuesday.
Inspector Cherith Adair, of the Collision Investigation Unit, said: “We received a report of a single vehicle road traffic collision at around 9.50pm, involving a blue BMW. Officers attended, alongside colleagues from NIAS.”
West Tyrone MP Órfhlaith Begley said the “community is shocked and devastated to learn that two young people have lost their lives on the A5 road”.
“My immediate thoughts are with the families and friends of these young people as they come to terms with this unimaginable heartbreak today,” Ms Begley said.
“I also want to pay tribute to the emergency services for all their efforts and for attending the scene.
“More families have been left heartbroken by another fatal collision on this dangerous road, and today’s news serves as another sad reminder of the need to move forward and build the A5 with no more delays.
“At the start of the week I joined with young people and the community at St Ciaran’s College to call for the road to build and the legal challenges to stop.
“It is truly shocking that a couple of days later two young people have lost their lives on this dangerous road.”
Pupils at the school carried crosses to represent the 54 people who lost their lives since 2007. The school is supporting the A5 Enough is Enough campaign. Different legal actions have held up the upgrade of the road.
Councillor Kevin McElvogue said his “thoughts are with the family and friends of those tragically killed”.
“Yet again, the local community is plunged into sorrow. Those responsible for decades of delay on the A5 upgrade have serious questions to answer. When will enough be enough?” Mr McElvogue said.
West Tyrone MLA Mr McCrossan added that “once again we wake up this morning to the devastating news that two young people have lost their lives on the A5 road”.
“My thoughts are with their families and friends today as they come to terms with this tragedy. I cannot imagine what they are going through and I know the community will rally around them,” Mr McCrossan said.
“Since the return of Stormont we have already seen a number of deaths on the A5, this is happening on a regular basis and our community can not continue to brave these losses.
“Every day people are leaving their homes to travel on this road, causing huge worry in their families who can’t be sure that they will come home.”
Mr McCrossan said there is a “need to progress on the A5 development”.
“We cannot afford any more delays, people’s lives are literally are stake and no excuse can be justified.
“We need to see the infrastructure minister publish the PAC findings and set a firm date for work to begin on the A5 before the end of this year.
“This news today is another awful reminder of the danger that everyone who travels on this road faces and it is long past time we do something about it.”
