Family pleads for driver who hit cyclist to come forward

The wife of a cyclist killed in a hit and run has made an emotional appeal to the driver to come forward.

Maggie O’Leary, whose husband Paud, 42, died near his home on the Cork/Kerry border, said she and her four children needed the driver of the charcoal grey Toyota Land Cruiser to hand himself in.

“Myself and the kids really miss Paud,” she said.

“He was a great father and a great husband. I appeal to the driver to please come forward to give us peace of mind and to help us to move forward from this terrible situation.”

Meanwhile, gardaí believe the driver of the 4x4 fled into north-east Cork after the accident and must have been noticed by other people because his vehicle suffered significant damage as a result of the impact.

Garda sources say damage would have been very visible on the front right-hand side of the charcoal grey Toyota, which they are still trying to locate.

The lights on that side of the 4x4 were broken, the wing was damaged, and the bumper was either hanging off or completely gone.

Gardaí believe the same vehicle travelled from Killarney into Spa and Kilcumin before hitting Mr O’Leary on the outskirts of Gneeveguilla between 5am and 8am on Jul 1.

Members of Mr O’Leary’s family became very concerned when failed to return home from a training session for a charity cycle in aid of Down’s syndrome. He was training up to two-and-a-half hours every morning.

The school caretaker and farmer had been preparing for the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle when he was killed. One of his children has Down’s syndrome.

That day he was supposed to return home by 10am to take some of his children to football practice.

When he failed to do so, and when his family were unable to contact him by mobile phone, friends, and relations began a search.

Mr O’Leary was found by his brother-in-law at 1.15pm that day about 500 yards on the Gneeveguilla side of Paddy O’Keeffe’s shop.

Gardaí are also checking panel beaters in the hope of finding the vehicle. A senior Garda said: “Some family member, or friend of the driver must have noticed the damage to the vehicle. Maybe they have noticed the vehicle is missing, or the driver has told them it has been suddenly sold. We are appealing for anybody with information about this vehicle to contact us immediately.”

* Anybody with information is asked to contact Kanturk Garda Station at 029 20680.