Classmates of a teenage girl killed on the A5 laid 56 crosses at Stormont as they made an emotional appeal for a much-delayed upgrade to proceed.
For pupils from St Ciaran’s College in Ballygawley, it was a poignant day as they remembered their friend Kamile Vaicikonyte (17), who died in an accident on the road earlier this year.
Some 72 Year 14 pupils made the trip to Stormont where they also met with Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd to continue their campaign for work to start.
The 56 crosses remember all who have been killed on the notorious road in the time since the announcement of an upgrade was first made in 2007.
Kamile, from Aughnacloy, and her partner, 19-year-old Jamie Moore from Omagh, died in a collision on the A5 in April.
Left to right, pupils Rosie McCabe, Dearbhla McAnenly, Eadaon Nugent and Rebecca McCann holds crosses and photographers of Kamile Vaicikonyte (Credit: PressEye)
Pascal Canavan, a teacher at St Ciaran’s who travelled with pupils to Stormont, said the tragedy, along with many others within the community, had deeply affected pupils.
“This was something they felt they wanted and needed to do,” he said. “And I think some of them found the day more poignant than they expected.”
Less than 48 hours before Kamile was killed she had been part of a demonstration of 900 pupils alongside staff at her school calling for work to begin.
Her name had been one of hundreds on a petition urging the road to be made safer.
“When we held that protest we carried 54 crosses in memory of those who had lost their lives on the road,” said Mr Canavan.
St Ciaran’s College in Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone, visit Stormont and present Infrastructure Minister John OÕDowd with 54 crosses which represents 54 people who have died since 2007 on the A5 due to a RTC. From left to right, pupils Rosie McCabe, Dearbhla McAnenly, Eadaon Nugent and Rebecca McCann holds crosses and photographers of Kamile Vaicikonyte (Credit: PressEye)
“I think it brought it home how much loss and suffering there has been, and how every single one of them affects a whole community when we added two more today.”
While the Minister was unable to give a time frame for work to begin on the A5 road, work which had been delayed by funding issues and a series of legal challenges, Mr Canavan said the pupils were thankful at having the opportunity to meet with him.
“Over 60 of those who made the trip to Stormont are either L drivers or R drivers now. They are using that road every day and that makes it all the more relevant to them that work should start as soon as possible. The last thing we want to do is add more crosses to our campaign.
“When the Minister hears the personal stories from young people who have been badly affected by all the accidents that have happened along that road in recent years perhaps it adds even more urgency to the need for work to begin. The pupils felt the Minister needed to hear how they were feeling.
St Ciaran’s College in Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone, visit Stormont and present Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd with 54 crosses which represents 54 people who have died since 2007 on the A5 due to a RTC (Credit: Press Eye)
Left to right. Pupils Rosie McCabe, Dearbhla McAnenly, Eadaon Nugent and Rebecca McCann holds crosses and photographers of Kamile Vaicikonyte.
Picture by PressEye
“Kamile was a Year 13 pupil at our school. She should be a Year 14 pupil now. Her year group always mark the start of their final year with a two-day retreat, one she should be going on today.
“As part of that we decided we would go via Stormont and drop off the crosses to both acknowledge Kamile and also make sure the views of the young people in our school are being heard.
“Obviously Kamile’s family, the teachers who taught her and the friends she shared a classroom with needed an awful lot of support earlier this year. They still do.
“It was a very traumatic time and with the practicalities of school, when it wasn’t far off from their AS exams, it was difficult and challenging.
”A decision has to be made on the A5 and the sooner that decision is made and the quicker that action is taken, the better for everybody.
“We are familiar with the arguments against the A5 upgrade. We’re largely from a farming background. We do know the impact it would have on some farmland. There is environmental awareness too. All those things have to be taken into consideration, but that’s the same when any change has to be made for the better.
“It’s not easy for some individuals in particular. It is going to have a massive impact on their lives, But when we look at it from our school and community perspective, that road has a huge cost. That cost is on lives. Surely that takes priority over environmental and economic costs?”
Mr O’Dowd said he has recommended to the Executive that work should begin on the long-delayed A5 road project.
But O’Dowd said while he had initially hoped the Executive could have agreed to his proposal this week, he said it could take “slightly more time”.
Mr O’Dowd told the pupils he expects to be able to make an announcement on the 58-mile (85km) dual carriageway, which runs between Londonderry and the border at Aughnacloy, in the “very near future”.