Sport has the power to move us to great emotion but it can also be dangerous and motorsport in Ireland is today mourning the deaths of two spectators at a rallying event in Cavan on Sunday morning.
Shortly after the start of the Cavan Motor Club stage rally a Ford Escort car appeared to lose control after hitting a bump in the road and careered into a fence behind which a group of spectators were standing.
A 51 year old photographer from Galway and a 29 year old woman from Cork were killed in the crash and seven more were taken to hospital, some with serious injuries.  The woman who died was 14 weeks pregnant.
Both Motorsport Ireland and the Gardaí have commenced investigations into the accident.  It is reported that a total of 180 marshalls were present around the course and that all precautions in terms of restricted areas had been taken.
Our thoughts, together with those of the whole Irish sporting community are with the families of those who died and were injured.