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Tributes paid to St Patrick's Day crash victim

BBC Several bunches of flowers are lined up along a red brick wall. On the ground are several red and white candles. BBC
Flowers and candles have been left close to the scene of the crash

Tributes have been paid to a man in his 60s who died after he and his brother were struck by a car in the early hours of St Patrick's Day.

Anthony Gallagher and his brother, who is also in his 60s, were hit by the car on Lower Main Street in Letterkenny, County Donegal, at about 03:00 local time on Monday.

The injured man is being treated for serious injuries in University Hospital Galway.

A teenage motorist who was arrested at the scene of the crash has been released without charge and a file sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

'Shock and disbelief'

Letterkenny's St Patrick's Day parade was cancelled due to the crash and about 200 people attended a vigil in the town for the two brothers on Monday.

The Mayor of Letterkenny and Milford, Gerry McMonagle, said the incident had left a dark cloud over the local community.

A man with short gray hair looks directly into the camera. He is wearing a navy coat, a white shirt and a red jumper. Behind him is a terraced row of shops and businesses.
Mayor Gerry McMonagle said the incident had left a dark cloud over the local community.

"People turned out in large numbers to the vigil and people were visibly shocked," he told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.

"There is just a real sense of disbelief that something like this has happened - there was a stunned silence at the vigil last night and it's just so hard to take in."

McMonagle said Anthony Gallagher was a much-loved lollipop man at a local school.

"I am sure the children, as they head back to school today, will be sorely missing him and all of the teachers and friends around the town."

'A lovely quiet man'

Deli manager Maria Gough said she knew both Anthony Gallagher and his brother very well.

"Anthony was just a local guy who was well loved and well liked - just a lovely quiet man," Ms Gough said.

"He would come into us here for his breakfast each morning and we'd also do up his lunch for him and his brother, without fail every day.

"He will be very sadly missed, he would stand outside our shop every morning and afternoon getting those kids across the road safely as a lollipop man.

"I would taken soup out for him when it was cold and we would've had a wee chat, he would've been there tomorrow with the schools going back - it's going to be really strange not being there."

Maria Gough in a purple uniform and hat. Her hair is tied back.
Deli manager Maria Gough says Anthony Gallagher was a lovely quiet man who was well-loved around the local area

In a statement on Tuesday, An Garda Síochána (the Irish police service) said files would be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Garda youth diversion bureau and investigations into the crash are ongoing.

Organisers of the St Patrick's Day parade posted on social media that it was with "deep regret" that the event had been cancelled.

They said the decision was made after consultation with gardaí as the parade route was directly affected and it was "impossible to proceed as planned".