‘Awful tragedy’: Limerick man killed in UK traffic collision to be laid to rest

TWO FAMILIES are preparing to say a sad farewell to loved ones after they were killed in a road traffic collision in England.

Barry O'Connell, aged 50, Rien Roe, Adare, and Eoin Fitzgerald, aged in his 20s, of Barragougeen, Moyvane were travelling together in a van on the A14 in Northamptonshire at around 9.15pm on February 19. Mr O’Connell was a passenger.

A Northamptonshire  police spokesperson said the collision involved a Volkswagen Caddy and a HGV lorry.

“The passenger in the Volkswagen died at the scene. The driver of the Volkswagen - a man in his 20s – is believed to have got out of the vehicle but was sadly killed when he entered the eastbound carriageway,” said the police spokesperson.

Canon John O’Shea, of Mungret Crecora Raheen Parish, who is an uncle of Mr O’Connell said it is very sad. 

“It is an awful tragedy and for the Fitzgerald family as well. Barry was in England most of his life, around the Leicester area. He worked mainly in construction,” said Fr O’Shea, who will say the funeral Mass in the Holy Trinity Abbey Church, Adare at noon this Wednesday, March 5.

The O’Connell family sadly only laid to rest Barry’s father Michael in the same graveyard last July.

The family have asked for donations, if desired, to go to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.

“They have been excellent in his repatriation. The family were wondering how we would get him back and my goodness they just took it over once the death cert was issued. 

“They did all the paperwork and brought him to Daffy undertakers,” said Fr O’Shea.

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Minister of State  Niall Collins expressed his sympathies with the family. “The local community were saddened to hear of his passing in such tragic circumstances. The O’Connell family are well-known, popular and highly respected,” said Mr Collins.

Dozens upon dozens of tributes were penned on rip.ie, including one who said:  “We were friends since we were children. I’ll never forget him, we had great fun and memories together.”

He will be greatly missed by his mother, Maureen, his daughter, Rebecca, his sisters, Susie and Edel, and his brothers, Michael, Andrew, and Steven, grandchildren, Keelan, Abbey, and Mason, as well as his brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins, and a wide circle of friends.

Mr Fitzgerald's (pictured below) funeral will arrive at St Mary's Church, Tarbert, at 11.45am on Friday with Requiem Mass  at noon. He has been remembered as “a wonderful man”.

One person wrote on rip.ie: “To Katie, James, James, Andrew and Aoife, Eoin's grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, the extended Fitzgerald, Hayes and O'Brien families and Eoin's friends, we are very sorry to hear of Eoin's very untimely and tragic death.

"We offer our sincere sympathies and condolences to all of ye at this saddest of times. Eoin was a lovely nice lad. He is a great loss. May he rest in eternal peace and happiness.

“Ye are all in our thoughts and prayers at this hard time of shock and sadness. May God bless ye all and help ye to find strength and comfort.” 

May they both rest in peace.