Sectarian agenda feared behind road carnage

Most of the victims of the deadly crashes on the most dangerous road in Ireland or Britain are from the Catholic and nationalist community.

Amid a growing campaign to halt the deaths on the A5, which connects Counties Tyrone and Derry, there are growing fears that the refusal of the authorities to act is sectarian in nature.

More than 50 people have died on the road since ‘upgrade plans’ were first announced in 2007.

Now the Gaelic Athletics Association, which has several clubs in the area, has moved to defend the communities involved.

Demonstrators from the GAA joined with the families of victims who lost their lives outside Belfast High Court ahead of a legal challenge to the road’s upgrade on Tuesday morning.

Demonstrators from the ‘A5 Enough is Enough’ group, publicly launched by Tyrone GAA in January 2023, said that there could be no more delays in delivering the upgrade.

Niall McKenna, who is head of the group, said they held a demonstration on Tuesday because they “wanted to let everybody see how strongly we do feel that this scheme needs to go ahead”.

“There’s been very strong feeling in Tyrone for a long time because, unfortunately, there’s been far too many deaths; it has affected too many families, too many communities and too many GAA clubs,” he said.

Martina Glenn, who lost 26-year-old son Simon in 2011, said that she was “so angry” that the improvement scheme had not commenced in that time.

“It’s hard, definitely hard, and then when you see all these people here today that have lost somebody - it’s 14 years now in a few weeks’ time for me and I still remember it as if it were yesterday.”

In an open letter, Jarlath Burns called on the GAA community, particularly those across Ulster, to become “a voice for change and help ensure that no more families suffer the devastation of losing a loved one on this road.”

“This campaign is not simply about upgrading a road — it is about protecting lives,” he wrote.

“Since 2006, 57 people have tragically lost their lives on the A5, leaving behind families and communities forever changed by grief.

“Among them was Caolán Devlin, who died in March 2024.

“His brother, Niall, who captained Tyrone to All-Ireland Under-20 success, is just one of many who have endured unimaginable loss.”

Mr Burns, who is backing campaigners, also referred to Michael Rafferty, captain of last year’s victorious All-Ireland Tyrone team who lost his brother John in a devastating crash back in October 2022.

“These young men, both leaders on the field, carry private heartache that should never have been theirs to bear,” he said.

“These sad stories are chapters in a tragic narrative which has weaved its way through the geography and history of this part of Ulster.”

Urgent Appeal