Wicklow councillor pleads for ‘slow down' after tragic death of Molly Dempsey (15)

Described by her friends as “the most loving, caring and kind-hearted person”, Ms Dempsey died in a single-vehicle crash shortly before 5 a.m. on Sunday when the car in which she was a passenger crashed near Slaney Park in Baltinglass, where she was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders.

Molly’s death is the latest tragedy to befall her heartbroken family after the passing of her older brother Roy in 2007, when he was just 13 years of age, and her brother Killian, aged 16, in 2016.

Molly is the third person to have been killed in road accidents in Wicklow so far this year, two of which have occurred in the west and southwest of the county.

In early April, Gorey man Niall Keane lost his life in a motorcycle accident at Tombreane in Carnew, while Kiltegan resident Daryl Culbert (21) and his friends Katie Graham (19) and Michael Kelly (25) lost their lives in a road traffic collision just across the border, around 5km from Carlow town, in January.

Extending his condolences to Molly’s family and friends, Cllr Blake made a heartfelt plea for Wicklow motorists to slow down, particularly when travelling on rural roads.

“First of all, I just want to extend my sympathy to all those affected by the accident in Baltinglass last weekend,” he said.

“That is now two road deaths in our MD this year. I put a vote of sympathy in for the Keane family at the last Baltinglass meeting, and I’m sure Councillor (Edward) Timmins will propose the same for Ms Dempsey.

“Listen, my advice and call to the people is to slow down on the rural roads, and indeed all roads, but particularly rural roads, where you don’t have as good a surface or view around bends.

“As someone who lives in a rural part of County Wicklow, I find speed on the roads very excessive, in terms of the speed limit. They are being reduced, and we have taken steps to improve the country and regional roads, but the local roads still need attention and revision.

“Looking back at road deaths in Ireland in the 1970s and 80s, we were looking at six or seven hundred people killed each year when we had a population of three million,” he added.

“Now we have a population of five million, and things have improved dramatically over the years, but we seem to have slid back into our old habits in recent times.”

After news of Molly’s death broke, friends and family paid touching tributes to the “beautiful angel”, with one echoing the road safety message expressed by Cllr Blake.

“The saddest news ever to wake up to... a young local girl’s life taken,” they wrote, pleading, “Please be careful on the roads – we never know what’s around the next bend… my sincere condolences to the Dempsey family. RIP Molly.”

Offering his condolences, Baltinglass Parish Priest Fr Gerard Ahern said: “I remember Molly from her confirmation, and the loss of a young life is so hard to take, particularly for her parents, who have suffered tragedies in the past.

“I think of Molly’s friends who will face the challenges of mourning the death of their friend at such a young age with a long life ahead of her. It’s a hard thing to take on. People don’t expect this to happen.

“You think of the accident there just a few weeks ago, three dead in that crash and I suppose from my point of view, these accidents have an impact on the whole community, who I know will be there to support Molly's parents through this."

Molly’s funeral details have yet to be confirmed.

Gardaí continue to appeal for witnesses to the accident, with a spokesperson saying: “Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam footage) and were travelling in the Slaney Park area between 4.30 a.m. and 5 a.m. are asked to make this footage available to gardaí.”