Call for rally ban after tragedy

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A Strabane priest has called for rallying to be banned after an 18-year-old spectator was killed at the Donegal International Rally.

Richard O'Donnell, known locally as Richard McGrath, died after being hit by a competing car at Ballyarr outside Letterkenny on Saturday afternoon.

Mr O'Donnell was from Jefferson Court in Strabane. It is understood driver error was not to blame for his death.

Father Pat O'Hagan said it was time to call a halt to such events.

"Any fatality is a tragedy, but when it's something avoidable I really think it's time for the people who organise things like that, who participate in things like that, to take a good hard look at themselves and the whole area and decide to call it a day.

"It's not a sport," he said.

It is understood Mr O'Donnell was knocked down by a competing vehicle during the Carnhill stage of the event at about 1530 BST on Saturday.

The accident happened on the second day of the three-day annual event, which attracts up to 50,000 spectators.

Racing was immediately suspended following the collision, and Sunday's racing was cancelled as a mark of respect.

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to contact them.

It is not the first time that tragedy has struck at the rally, which is one of the biggest events in the county's sporting calendar.

In 2002, two race marshals were killed when a rally car left the road and struck a crowd of spectators at Cloghan, six miles from Ballybofey.