Road fatality the third to hit Limerick family

A MAN who died when struck by a car near Newcastle West on Sunday evening lost a sister and a nephew in a road accident in America less than five years ago, it has emerged.

Mike Scanlon, 51, of Lower Direen, Athea, was helping clear debris from the N21 at Sweeps Cross, after an earlier minor accident, when he was hit by a car at around 7.30pm.

The deceased worked for many years in IT in America but returned, to retire in Athea, and lived near his widowed mother, Ms Hannah Scanlon, aged 87.

He was planning to commence studies in UL in English and politics.

His sister Ms Dolores Chandra, 56, and her son, Sharath John Chandra, 27, died in 2005 in a road accident in Alabama which claimed the lives of five people. Ms Chandra’s husband, a surgeon, received serious injuries.

Mr Scanlon’s brother, Tim Scanlon is a well-known Limerick builder. He is also survived by two other brothers, Denis and John and sisters, Eileen, Caitriona and Joan.

“It would appear Mr Scanlon’s car had been involved in a minor accident at a junction and he had got out to pick up debris which was on the road when he was struck by a car,” Supt Joe Roe, head of the Askeaton garda district who are investigating the accident said.

Gardaí spoke to the other driver at the scene.

The dead man’s sister Eileen said he was looking forward to going to UL shortly to further his studies and was in the middle of an access course. He had travelled extensively and recently visited Cuba.

“Mike was involved in a huge amount of voluntary and community work in Athea,” well-known musician, Dónal de Barra, a neighbour of the dead man, said. “He was a member of the hall committee and was always there to help out when any organisation was doing something. He loved walking and I do a bit of walking myself, and Mike would breeze past as he liked to go at a nice pace. He was a true gentleman and loved to meet and have a chat. This is the third tragic death in the family in road accidents. It is terribly sad for the family and there is sense of terrible loss here in the village.”

Another local resident, Maria Woulfe said: “Mike was a lovely, lovely man and we are all terribly saddened at the news of his tragic death.”

Seamus Ahern, a former member of Limerick County Council for the area, said the late Mr Scanlon had returned to live in Athea after years working in the US.

He said: “Mike lived in a two storey house across the road from his mother’s home.”