Teenager Identified Following Donegal Rally Incident
The teenager who died after an incident at the Donegal International Rally on Saturday has been identified as Tadhg Callaghan Carter.
The event occurred shortly before 17:00 local time at Trentagh, near Kilmacrennan, involving a rally participant's vehicle.
Tadhg, aged 15, was transported to Letterkenny University Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses present at 'Location 15 on Special Stage 12 Gartan', especially those with mobile phone or dashcam footage from the area.
Injuries and Event Cancellation
Two other spectators sustained non-life threatening injuries and were also taken to Letterkenny University Hospital following the incident.
The rally was halted, and organisers decided to cancel the remainder of the three-day event as a mark of respect.
Official Statements and Investigation
Motorsport Ireland and Donegal Motor Club expressed their condolences, stating:
"They express their deepest sympathies to the family of the deceased"
and requested privacy for the family during this time.
Both Motorsport Ireland and An Garda Síochána have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Historical Context
This marks the first fatality at the Donegal International Rally since the death of three-time winner Manus Kelly in a crash in 2019.
Previously, in 2008, an 18-year-old spectator died when a car left the road, leading to the cancellation of the rest of the rally. Six years earlier, two marshals lost their lives in an incident at the event.
The last spectator fatality at a Motorsport Ireland-sanctioned event occurred in 2012 at the Cavan Stages, where two spectators died in an accident.
