Cavan crash victim named as Donegal GAA All-Star

James McHugh, who was a part of the 1992 Donegal panel that won the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, has been named locally as the victim of a road traffic collision in Co Cavan on Monday, August 10.

An Garda Síochána said on Monday that at about 2 pm, a fatal road traffic collision involving a car and a van occurred on the N3 at Drummallaght, between Virginia and Cavan, in Co Cavan.

Gardaí confirmed that the male driver of the car, who was aged in his 60s, was fatally injured in the collision. His body was removed to Cavan General Hospital.

The female passenger, also aged in her 60s, was seriously injured and was airlifted to Beaumont Hospital for treatment, Gardaí said.

While Gardaí have not confirmed the names of the driver and passenger of the car, they have been named locally as James McHugh and his wife Noreen McHugh.

Gardaí further said the male driver of the van, aged in his 50s, was taken to Cavan General Hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

The road was closed to facilitate an examination by Forensic Collision Investigators and local diversions were put in place.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision or who was travelling on the N3 between Virginia and Cavan, particularly between 1 pm and 2 pm, to come forward.

Gardaí are particularly appealing to motorists who may have dashcam or other camera footage of the area during this time to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bailieborough Garda Station on 042 969 4570, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

According to Donegal Daily, McHugh played 59 times with Donegal from 1990-1996, and was Man of the Match in the 1990 Ulster Final.

He famously lined out for Donegal when the county won its first-ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title in 1992. Donegal beat Dublin 0–18 to 0–14; McHugh scored 0-1.

He won two Ulster titles and an All-Star, as well as three Donegal senior football championships with his home club, Kilcar (Cill Chartha). He also had a spell as the Kilcar senior manager.

“I’m just broken-hearted," Brian McEniff, Donegal’s All-Ireland-winning manager from 1992, told Donegal Live on Monday.

"James was such a fine man. I had a great friendship with him. He is the first player from the 1992 panel we have lost - we had also lost selector Seamus Bonar.

"It is just terrible. I don’t know what to say. James had the heart of a lion. I can still remember him in Clones in the Ulster final nipping in before big Brian McGilligan and getting the ball.

"No words can say what I feel and what I feel for the family as well. It is a terrible loss for them and for the Kilcar community."

McHugh had two children: a daughter who is understood to have only recently gotten married, and a son who is a member of the Donegal GAA Senior football panel.

"It's very, very sad for everybody," Sinn Féin councillor Michael McMahon told the Irish Mirror on Monday.

"James McHugh was a gentleman. He was one of the nicest men you could meet.

"I saw him play in the '92 All-Ireland Final; he was a great footballer... There is shock and sadness. My prayers are with his family and close friends. The entire community will be shocked by this."

On social media, Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty, who represents Donegal, wrote: "Heartbreaking news that Donegal GAA great James McHugh has lost his life in a tragic accident.

"My thoughts are with his family and friends, the GAA and wider community, and all those who knew and loved him at this very difficult time.

"Thinking too of James’ wife Noreen, who has been injured. I pray she makes a full recovery. 

"James gave so much to Donegal GAA and will be remembered with great pride and affection across the county and beyond.

"Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam."