Father and children who died in Donegal tragedy named: Gardai in fresh appeal for information

Moville businessman John Mullan (49), his son Tomas (14) and six-year-old daughter Amelia died when the car they were travelling in went off the road and entered Lough Foyle at Three Trees between Muff and Quigley’s Point on Thursday night.

The Moville community were this morning said to be devastated by the deaths of Mr Mullan, who ran a local garden centre business, and his children.

Inishowen Superintendent Eugene McGovern said Mr Mullan’s wife and the children’s mother Geraldine, the sole survivior in the tragedy, was rescued from the waters and brought ashore. She is currently being treated for non-life threatening injuries at Letterkenny University Hospital.

Supt. McGovern said gardai were keen to hear from any witnesses who were on the main Muff to Quigley’s Point road around the time of the tragedy.

He told the Journal: “It’s an awful tragedy. The woman and the two children managed to get out of the vehicle but the two children perished. They were recovered later from the water.

“They were socialising in Derry and on their way back from Derry when it happened at 10.20pm.”

Supt. McGovern said conditions were not good at the time, and it is thought there may have been a lot of surface water on the roads and that the car lost control and careered down an embankment and into the water at Three Trees. The tide was high at the time as well.

Emergency services from the Republic and from HM Coastguard from Scotland attended the scene.

Supt. McGovern said everyone’s thoughts were with Geraldine Mullan, the wider family and the community in Moville this morning.

He appealed for anyone who was on this stretch of road at around the time or who saw the black Mutsubishi ASX SUV Registration 11 DL 1566 to contact gardai, particularly any road users with dash cam footage, to contact Buncrana Garda Station on (00353) 74 9320540, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

Meanwhile Moville Councillor Martin Farren, who knows the Mullan family well and grew up with the father John, said he, like the rest of the town in northern Inishowen, were in shock this morning and trying to come to terms with what has unfolded.

Colr. Farren said everyone’s thoughts are with Geraldine Mullan who was rescued and is currently being treated at Letterkenny General Hospital, and the wider family.

Colr. Farren said: “The whole community is just absolutely numbed by it. They are very well known and respected members of our community. They are lovely people, you couldn’t have met nicer.

“It’s hard to put into words, it’s just devastating. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this very, very sad time.”

The bodies of those who died in the tragedy have been removed to Letterkenny University Hospital Mortuary, where post mortems will take place in due course.