Posted online: Sep 17th, 2009

There was a sense of deep shock and loss as mourners gathered in Lifford this morning to pay their final respects to Lifford postman Alex Carolan (32) who was killed instantly on Monday evening when his van crashed into a stationary combine harvester.
Tragically, his mother Kathleen was en-route to U S to visit her sister and brother-in-law when the accident happened. Family in Lifford made contact with her sister as they travelled to the airport to meet her. She then flew back to Ireland with her on the turnaround.
From the Common in Lifford, he was driving towards Raphoe when the tragic accident happened at Drumnabrady, between Raphoe and Ballindrait at approximately 4pm in the afternoon.
Gardai at the scene believe he may have braked on seeing the combine harvester, causing his van to go out of control and collide with the front of the machine.
Emergency services were quickly at the scene but Mr Carolan was pronounced dead at the scene. The 72-year-old driver of the combine harvester was not hurt.
It is understood that deceased had only recently begun doing mail deliveries, having previously worked in the sorting centre in Lifford.
Mr. Carolan is survived by his mother Kathleen, father Thomas, his partner Donna Tinney, their young son Alex jnr. and his two sisters Maura and Shirley. to whom sincere sympathy is extended.