Donegal Mourns Chef and Former Footballer Brighton Mafuta Following A5 Collision

The community in Donegal is in mourning following the death of Brighton Mafuta, aged 36, in a road traffic collision on the A5 road in County Tyrone on Monday night. Mr. Mafuta, a chef and former footballer, died at the scene of a collision between a white Audi A6 and a silver Nissan Micra.

Details of the Collision

The collision occurred around 10:15 pm in the Garvaghy area, between Omagh and Ballygawley according to the Impartial Reporter. Mr. Mafuta was driving the Nissan Micra and was pronounced dead at the scene. The A5 road was closed in both directions following the accident, with diversions in place between Omagh and Newtownstewart, near the American Folk Park as reported by Donegal Daily.

Tributes to Brighton Mafuta

Mr. Mafuta was a former player for Donegal Town FC, where he was a member of the title-winning team in 2013. The club paid tribute to him, noting his dedication to the team despite living some distance away. “He showed great dedication, travelling afar to play despite not living nearby anymore,” Donegal Town FC said. “He had an infectious personality and got on fantastically with everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him. A skilful footballer and a fantastic teammate, Brighton will be sorely missed by everyone at DTFC.”

He was as well remembered fondly by his former teammates at Monaghan FC, who described him as a valued member of the team. Management and staff at Snugborough in Letterkenny, where Mr. Mafuta worked as a chef, described him as “funny, loyal, and hardworking.” “An unforgettable colleague to everyone who worked with him,” Snugborough said. “James and Jacqui and all of his Snugborough family offer our condolences to all of his family and friends at this sad time.”

A5 Road Safety Concerns

Mr. Mafuta’s death marks the 58th fatality on the A5 road since 2006, raising ongoing concerns about safety on this stretch of highway.