A YOUNG mother who drove in the wrong direction on a dual carriageway before crashing into another car killing herself and the other driver, a young Wexford student, had been drinking earlier in the night.

Mother-of-one Aoife Callanan (25) of Coolroe Heights, Ballincollig, Cork, and John Joe Galvin (17) from Ballymitty, died instantly in the head-on collision just after midnight on March 18, 2011, a double inquest has heard.

A post-mortem toxicology screening found Ms. Callanan had a level of alcohol in her blood that was almost two times the legal limit for driving, Cork County Coroner's Court heard. Her blood alcohol level was 157 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millitres of blood.

A post-mortem screening on Mr. Galvin was negative for alcohol and drugs.

Cork Coroner's Court heard that a Toyota Corolla driven by Ms. Callanan was travelling in the wrong direction along the Cork city bound carriageway of the N25 Cork to Midleton Road, when it collided with a Volkswagen Golf driven by Mr Galvin, at Courtstown, Little Island.

Mr Galvin was travelling to the West Cork Rally in Clonakilty, where he was due to compete for the first time, with his friend Nicholas Ely, who was a front seat passenger. Mr Ely was seriously injured and told the inquest he has 'no recollection' of the impact.

The double inquests heard alarming evidence from a number of motorists who came across Ms. Callanan's car travelling in the wrong direction.

Area manager with Donatello's Eddie Mulryan said he noticed headlights coming towards him in the fast lane and moved into the left lane.

As he turned into the left lane, the two cars 'collided in a violent smash'.

Mr Mulryan said the Volkswagen had tried to avoid the collision by veering to the left.

A colleague of Ms Callanan's, who worked at Amazon, told the inquest he finished work at 5.30 p.m. on March 17 and went for a few drinks with Aoife and a friend.

Giving evidence William Clancy, who was not drinking alcohol, said they had about four drinks in the International Hotel and that Aoife had a Corona beer before changing to red wine. The pair stayed on for another one or two drinks and Aoife then drove into the city where they went to another bar, before going to a restaurant.

Mr Clancy said Aoife had a white wine in the bar, and a pint of Miller and a shot in the restaurant.

Ms Callanan then dropped William home before continuing home herself.

A jury returned verdicts of accidental death in both inquests.

John Joe, who was a sixth year student at Good Counsel College, was a popular and much-loved teenager.

Following his passing, a statement on the school's website paid tribute to John Joe, saying he was 'a wonderful student in Good Counsel, so loved by his classmates and teachers alike. He was the most pleasant young man you could ever hope to meet who never passed you without a heartfelt greeting. His smiling face will be missed about Good Counsel.'

At the time the Wexford Motor Club, of which John Joe was a member, also paid a heartfelt tribute to their ' little gem', saying will be remembered as a cheeky chap who always had a smile on his face and a laugh and a joke to share with all he met.

Motorsport was one of John Joe's greatest interests and although he was aged only 17 years, he was already well-known in rally circles throughout the county and beyond.