Oliver McMullan, a local councillor who knows the McKeegan family, said the family would be absolutely “devastated” by the tragic news of Mark’s accident.

“He was their only boy in the home,” he said.

“They are a well respected family.

“He was a very quiet young boy who was an apprentice working.”

According to the police, Mark was hit by a car at around 3am on Sunday 30th August. At the time of the accident he was on the Cushendall Road, around one mile from the town. The police have reported that they are not treating the incident as a hit and run accident. They have appealed for any witnesses to come forward with any information that may assist them.

The accident happened whilst Cate was performing a fight scene on stage with her co-star Joel Edgerton. In the scene Joel had to throw a radio during the fight. Unfortunately the radio slipped out of his hand as he attempted to throw the radio, and it struck Cate Blanchett on the head.

According to a member of the audience, Cate had blood running down the back of her head and neck. She did bravely attempt to continue acting throughout the scene, until the decision was made to turn on the theatre lights and shut down the play to assess the injury she had sustained.

Luckily the head injury turned out to be fairly minor, and therefore Cate was fine to continue with the theatre production in the following night performance.