Funeral of Tooban collision victim to take place in Cockhill    

The funeral of Michael Jim Quinn who died following a road traffic collision on Friday is to take place today in Cockhill today.

Mr Quinn, of  Rossbracken, Letterkenny, and formerly of Backhill, Meenagorey, Buncrana, died in Letterkenny University Hospital on Friday evening following the single-vehicle collision at Tooban at around 4.30pm.  He was seriously injured when the car he was driving struck a ditch on the R238. A female passenger, aged in her early 60s was not injured during the collision.

Mr Quinn, who was in his mid-60s, was known as a  suicide prevention councillor, a  regular election worker with Sinn Féin and was known for his involvement in local sport.

Donegal Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn led tributes to Mr Quinn, who he described as his “good friend”.

“Jim was one of the truly great characters of Donegal and a proud and dedicated Irish Republican like his father Jimmy Quinn before him,” he said.

“He was known and loved, far and wide, from managing local football teams, to his famous palm reading sessions, to helping so many people in distress, and for his faith in Padre Pio.”

Local Sinn Féin councillor Jack Murray described Mr Quinn as “a very passionate Irish republican and dropped everything at election time to knock on every door”.

"Jim was a gentleman, well known as an experienced expert at telling tall tales. Any time I met him he was always upbeat and happy - a great quality in any person. He was known by everyone locally and famous all over for his fortune-telling.”

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to the collision to contact Buncrana Garda station.

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Mr Quinn is survived by his wife Pauline, their children Emma, Paula, Iris, and Amanda, as well as their sons Derek and Steven, grandchildren, and great-grandson,

His remains will leave the Quinn family home, at Meenagorey, Buncrana at 10am this morning before travelling to St Mary’s Church, Cockhill for Requiem Mass at 11am.