First road victim of decade laid to rest

MOURNERS who attended the funeral Mass yesterday of the first road victim of 2010 heard of a gloom over a Co Limerick community, the like of which had not been seen for many years.

Noel Hayes, 26, a single man, died following an accident near his home at Clounties, Ballyhahill, during the early hours of New Year’s Day.

He had dropped friends home from a New Year’s Eve party and was about a half mile from his home when his car skidded off an icy road.

The accident happened at about 3am on January 1.

He was discovered some hours later badly injured.

Mr Hayes, who worked as a mechanic at a main dealership in Limerick, died on Saturday at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.

His brother, the well-known flat jockey, Chris Hayes, flew home from India where he has been riding during winter.

The deceased was also a keen horseman and was due to resume race riding on Sunday at a pony meeting in Banna after a long break.

Addressing hundreds of mourners at the funeral Mass in St Senan’s parish church in Shanagolden yesterday, parish priest Canon Anthony O’Keeffe spoke of the great sadness that the first road fatality of the year had brought to the community.

He said: “There is a sense that gloom and darkness not seen for many a year has descended on Shanagolden and the neighbourhood. It is every parents’ worst nightmare: the non-return of one after a night out.”

Canon Hayes said Noel had only celebrated his birthday on Christmas Eve but had not been due to be born until January 6, the day which turned out to be the day of his burial.

Noel, he said was happiest making damaged cars roadworthy and spent hour after hour working on cars for a steady stream of people who called to him.

He was due to go out on his own shortly and open a repair garage near his home.

Canon O’Keeffe said that like all the members of the Hayes family, Noel had a deep love of horse racing.

“Now in the eternal kingdom, we hope he has found a suitable track to race on,” he continued.

The offertory gifts included the Hayes family green and white racing silks.

The mourners were led by the dead man’s parents, PJ and Mary, along with his brothers Sean, Seamus, Paddy, Martin and Chris along with sisters Teresa and Martina.

One neighbour recalled how Noel came to his rescue on Christmas Eve night.

He said: “My car broke down and Noel came and had to go and get various parts to get the car going again. He was always there to help people no matter when or where.”