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Priest: Stop glorifying "killing
machines"
29.07.10
A PRIEST in one of the
parishes devastated by Ireland's worst ever road
crash has urged people to report reckless drivers to
the Gardai and act as witnesses in court if
necessary.
Buncrana parish priest, Fr John Walsh, said people
had to "stop glorifying cars" and making cult
objects of "killing machines".
"We adults must insist that the laws of the roads
are adhered to on our highways and that vehicles are
managed responsibly in car parks, on beaches, indeed
everywhere. "We must not hesitate to give the
vehicle numbers of all errant drivers to the guards
and must be prepared to give evidence in court if
required.
"We must convince people that they have a duty
towards others. We must never act in ways that put
the safety of others, or indeed the lives of others,
at risk." |
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Fr Walsh made his
hard-hitting comments to a crowd of several thousand
at the annual blessing of the graves ceremony at
Cockhill cemetery where two of the eight victims of
the July 11 horror crash are buried.
He added: "We must stop glorifying cars, stop having
them as cult objects, objects of worship. We must
teach our young people that vehicles - quads or cars
or 4x4s or lorries or whatever - are useful
conveyances that get you safely and conveniently
from A to B no more than that and potentially
lethal, possible killing machines." |
He also urged the
congregation to report reckless young drivers to
their parents.
He said: "All adult men and women must be prepared
to go to parents and alert them if their daughter or
son is living recklessly - be it if they are driving
hazardously or engaged in substance abuse or keeping
unsavoury company or whatever.
"Such concerned intervention is a true act of
neighbourliness, of friendship. And parents should
accept the information and act upon it. They should
never unjustifiably jump to the young one's defence,
dismissing the information as coming from a
busybody, slaying the messenger rather that
accepting the message and acting upon it."
He said the horrific head-on crash at Glasmullen
between Buncrana and Clonmany "had to be mentioned"
at this year's grave-blessing ceremony.
"The best memorial we can give the people who died
on July 11 is an end to the carnage on our roads
here in Inishowen. Let's make sure that this
memorial lasts, and that we're not facing more
turmoil, more heartbreak, in the years ahead."
Meanwhile, Supt Kevin English said a significant
number of witnesses had come forward to help in the
investigation of the multiple fatality. The sole
survivor and driver of the car carrying seven of the
victims, was this week transferred for further
treatment to a Dublin hospital. |
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