THE family of a Co Armagh motorcyclist killed in a crash in the Republic have been described as being "absolutely devastated".
Conor Quinn, who was 36 and originally from Bessbrook in Co Armagh, died on Saturday evening when his motorbike was involved in a collision on the R336, between Inverin and Spiddal, on the shore of Galway Bay.
It is the second tragedy to touch the family of the married father-of-two, who lived in Cuan Na Luinge, Bealadangan in Co Galway.
In May 2018, Mr Quinn's cousin, Karl Heaney, who was 27 and a senior player with Newry Mitchels GAC, was killed in a two-vehicle collision between Banbridge and Dromore.
Karl’s mother, Monica Heaney, who is now a road safety campaigner, said the family have been left "absolutely devastated", adding: "That this has happened again is just unbelievable".
Mrs Heaney described her nephew as a "lovely young man".
"He was very quiet and inoffensive but he loved a bit of craic and was getting on with his life," she said.
"He'd set up his family in Galway with his wife, one daughter who is two and another who is a year old."
The road safety campaigner urged people to take their time on the roads.
"Please treat the roads with respect and watch where you’re going," she said.
"People are so comfortable in their car but in a split second, it could happen to you. We’re just trying to get people to slow down and watch what they’re doing on the road because it has such devastating consequences."
Posting about her nephew's death on the Road Ahead Support Group Facebook page, Mrs Heaney wrote: Our family has always stood by us through the darkest times and I never expected that we would have to be going through this again.
"As many of you know we joined Road Safe NI Newry Mourne and Down Committee and helped develop this support group after the loss of Karl. We wanted a safe place people could come to share their loss.
“Conor Quinn was one of Karl’s cousins, and part of the Quinn family. A family who have stood by us many times when we have needed them, he was a son, husband, father, brother, cousin and friend to so many. And sadly another young life lost way too soon on our roads".
She added: "Conor you will never be forgotten, but always remembered with great love and light".
