A journalist who contributed to The Independent has been killed in a road accident in Ireland, and her 10-year-old daughter died four days later from injuries sustained in the crash. Nell Raven, 53, was pronounced dead at the scene on the R162 at Corclare in Co Cavan last Friday evening.
Her daughter, Irena ‘Ira’ Raven Mereacre, was airlifted to Temple Street Hospital in Dublin but tragically died from her injuries on Tuesday. The accident has sent shockwaves through the local community, with tributes pouring in for the mother and daughter.
Nell Raven was a well-known figure in the Cavan community, having moved to the area from England and becoming an Irish citizen. She had worked as a journalist and later completed a master’s degree in creative writing at Oxford Brookes University. Raven had written for The Independent on 10 occasions between 1999 and 2002.
Ira, a pupil at Milltown National School in Cavan, was a popular and talented young girl who loved Irish dancing. On the day of the collision, she had represented her local community through dance. She had also appeared on RTÉ’s Late Late Toy Show County Parade, an experience that brought her immense pride.
A fundraising campaign has been launched by the principal of Milltown National School to support Nell Raven’s husband, Alexandru Mereacre, and Ira’s sisters, Eveline (Evey) Margalla Kemp and Violet Elizabeth Kemp. The GoFundMe campaign aims to ease the financial pressures facing the family during this difficult time.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone who may have witnessed the collision near Shercock to come forward as they investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident.
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