LIVE: Scenes in Rathkeale - a town in a ‘state of absolute numbness’ following woman’s death

THE WEST Limerick town of Rathkeale is in a state of “absolute numbness” following the tragic death of Marguerita Sheridan, a mother of a newborn baby. 

An appeal for calm has been issued by local councillor Adam Teskey, in the wake of the tragedy which resulted in the 21-year-old losing her fight for life in hospital hours after a hit-and-run incident in the town on Saturday.  

“Our community as a whole must reflect on what is happening and I would call for a sense of calmness across all the community,” said Mr Teskey, who represents the Adare - Rathkeale area.

“The factions must be healed and we don’t want to see any loss of life. This is a day of tragedy in the community. She was a young girl with a young baby and her whole life ahead of her.”

Gardai maintained a discreet but constant presence in the west Limerick town this Sunday. 

A number of officers conducted door-to-door inquiries close to the scene of the incident while a lone garda was stationed in a garda patrol jeep close to the scene which remained sealed off with a garda cordon.

Marguerita was rushed to UHL with serious injuries after the driver of a silver transit van allegedly rammed the gates of a property at Bank Place in the town - a narrow road just off the main street - at 12.15pm on Saturday. It is understood Marguerita was standing in proximity to the gates at the time. 

The vehicle, a silver Ford Transit van, failed to remain at the scene.

A tripod used in crime scene photography stood at the scene of the incident, this Sunday afternoon. 

“This is a very serious situation. Don’t film any faces,” one local told Limerick Live at the scene. 

A garda source described the atmosphere as “very tense”.

Two carefree young boys in matching faux fur-hooded parka jackets, sporting slicked-back hair, joked and chatted as they walked down the main street while the hair of a young girl of no more than 10-years-of-age blew back in the December wind while she steered her e-scooter up the main street.

Hydrafacials were advertised in the local beauty parlour, a pensioner filled the bottle bank with his collection of empties, Rathkeale House Soup of the Day was selling to hungry customers for €6.50 up the street. 

Life appeared to continue as normal to the untrained eye but, for most, it was hard to escape the heavy shroud of sadness and tension that hung heavy in the air. 

“Marguerita comes from a very well respected family in the Rathkeale community,” Cllr Teskey continued.

“My thoughts and prayers are with her father and mother and siblings, uncles and aunts and her little baby boy, of course.”

Only last November 20, Marguerita had commented on Facebook that “there is nothing in the world” like her new baby boy as she shared a range of images of the tiny tot in his co-ordinated plaid outfit.

“There is a huge sense of absolute shock. Our town is in a state of absolute numbness. The reality of what has happened is bearing unmerciful sorrowful thoughts among everyone in our community. It’s times like this that we as a community must rally together to support those who are grieving the loss of Marguerita,” added Mr Teskey. 

A major garda operation continues as they search for the silver Ford Transit van and the driver. An Armed Support Unit jeep whizzed past BoyleSports in the town at around 2.20pm. Most of the other vehicles to navigate the long main street and side roads on Sunday afternoon were English-registered jeeps and luxury cars driven by strong men with serious faces. 

READ MORE: UPDATE: Woman killed in Rathkeale hit-and-run named locally

Minister of State, Niall Collins, TD, said Saturday’s incident was “an awful tragedy” to befall a family particularly given the time of year. 

“This was a person going about their own business, getting ready for Christmas. It was a completely senseless act,” he remarked.

“The local communities are shocked and appalled. It brings Rathkeale back into focus for the wrong reasons, again. The gardai were maintaining a very effective presence around the place, to their credit, and there had been very few incidents in recent weeks. And now a baby is left without a mother.”

Christmas preparations continued throughout the town with one well made-up woman unloading wrapped presents from a jeep before taking them into a house. 

Minister for Further and Higher Education, and TD for Limerick County, Patrick O’Donovan, said the death of a young mother was “terrible” news for Rathkeale especially at this time of year. “I would appeal to anyone with information to please come forward to local gardaí,” he asserted. 

“My sympathy to the family of the deceased with this desperate news,” added the Newcastle West man.

In Rathkeale House Hotel six bulky men from the Travelling community dissected over pints, the blows, ducking and diving of the Usyk V Fury boxing fight on Saturday night. There was disappointment at the defeat of The Gypsy King. 

Cllr John O’Donoghue offered his sympathies with the family of tragic Marguerita “at a time when we should be celebrating peace and goodwill to all”. 

“This is a completely senseless loss of life and a solution has to be found to prevent anything like this from happening again,” said Cllr O'Donoghue, who represents the Adare-Rathkeale Municipal District.

Gardaí continue to appeal for witnesses to Saturday’s incident to come forward.

“Any road users or pedestrians who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were in the area between 11.30am and 1pm are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardaí.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Rathkeale garda station on 069 63222, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any garda station,” said a garda spokesperson.