GAA community mourns man killed in factory accident

The GAA community was in mourning last night after senior Fermanagh footballer Brian Óg Maguire died in a shocking workplace accident at a Quinn Group cement and steel factory in his native county.

The 24-year-old, who represented his county during the Ulster Championship in the summer, died after the incident at the facility on the Ballyconnell road in Derrylin at about 10am yesterday. It is understood he was hit on the head by a cable which snapped at the pre-stressing part of the facility, with the force of the blow causing devastating injuries.

The ambulance service received a call at 10.01am that a worker had been struck in the head by a steel cable and was unconscious. A rapid response paramedic was at the scene by 10.17am but Mr Maguire was unresponsive.

A doctor then rushed to the scene to help and the ambulance crew continued their life support efforts in the vehicle en route to the hospital in Enniskillen.

A statement from the Quinn Group said Mr Maguire died in the ambulance en route to hospital.

It is understood an autopsy is likely to take place today.

Mr Maguire played at every level with his local club, Lisnaskea Emmetts, with whom he won the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship last year. Just last Friday he helped them to a one-point semi-final win, meaning Lisnaskea are through to the county senior final on Sept 29.

Club spokesman Collie McCaffrey last night said Brian Óg had been “a captain in every way” and “the heart and soul of the club”.

Tributes flooded in last night for the popular player, while his family and his long-term girlfriend Maebh were being comforted. He is survived by his parents Brian and Eileen and sisters Roisin and Eimear.

All club matches in the county scheduled for this weekend have been cancelled, including the Senior Hurling Final in which Lisnaskea are involved.

Ulster GAA president Aogán Ó’Fearghail said: “I knew Brian Óg who was a committed Gael who represented his Club Lisnaskea Emmetts GAA and his county Fermanagh with great distinction.”