Tyrone school's tribute to A5 crash victim who attended protest calling for road upgrade day before her death

One of the two young people killed in a road crash on the A5 on Tuesday night was a pupil of St Ciaran’s College Ballygawley and had attended a protest by the school calling for it to be upgraded earlier this week.

17-year-old Kamile Vaicikonitye, a year 13 pupil at the school, died in the crash alongside 19-year-old boyfriend Jamie Moore from Omagh.

The single-vehicle crash involving a blue BMW car happened on the A5 Doogary Road outside Omagh on Tuesday night, April 30, at around 9.50pm.

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The school’s principal Paul Lavery paid tribute to a ‘bubbly, outgoing’ girl who had stood alongside hundreds of pupils at the school calling for change on Monday, April 29.

“The entire St. Ciaran’s community is deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of our Year 13 pupil, Kamile Vaicikonyte,” Mr Lavery said.

“Kamile was a bubbly, out-going girl who was very popular with both staff and pupils. “She joined our school in Year 10 and spoke excitedly about her hopes and dreams, which included going to university.

“We have been profoundly saddened by her death and our hearts go out to Kamile’s parents, sister and wider family circle; they are foremost in our thoughts and prayers at this sad time.

“To assist in supporting our pupils and staff through this time of grief, trained staff from the Education Authority Critical Incident Response Team are present in the school to provide support, alongside the school’s pastoral team.

"A letter has been sent by the school to parents, informing them of this incident and providing information on the support services available throughout the school.”

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On Monday St Ciaran’s held a demonstration on the grounds of the school to show its support for the A5 Enough is Enough campaign.

A statement from the school earlier this week calling progress on the A5 upgrade said the school's history was 'invariably linked with the A5'. It says approximately 2000 people travel to and from the school on the A5 on a daily basis.

"To list names and quote statistics does not do justice to the loss that is felt by families," it said.

"This is compounded by the fact that carnage continues along the A5, and that road remains an open wound for all impacted."

More than 50 people have died on the current A5 since the Executive first agreed to build the new road in 2007, as a series of legal challenges have scuppered its progress.

Families of former pupils bereaved by crashes that have taken place on the A5 since 2007 were in attendance at the demonstration.

The death of Kamile and Jamie brings the total number of people killed on the A5 since the upgrade was approved to 56.

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