Gaelic footballer dies after being struck by Garda car

A man knocked down and killed in an accident involving a Garda patrol car was a Gaelic footballer.

Eamon Carroll, 32, of Bellurgan, Co Louth, played junior football for the county and had just celebrated winning a sixth championship with his local club St Patrick’s GFC on Sunday.

The accident happened on the Carlingford to Dundalk road, the R173, at about 1.20am yesterday.

Players and members of St Patrick’s were said to be deeply shocked by the tragedy.

“We are all devastated,” club spokeswoman Rose McEneaney said.

“Eamon was a lovely, lovely guy and a gentleman from his head to his toes. We just don’t know what to say.

“We can’t even begin to comprehend what his family are going through. Our thoughts are with them at this stage.”

It is understood the Garda car was not in pursuit of any other vehicle at the time of the accident, which occurred on an unlit section of the road near a filling station.

The incident was referred to the Garda Ombudsman’s office to investigate.

An on-duty team was dispatched from the offices of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in Dublin. Garda forensic collision specialists are assisting the GSOC team with the technical examination.

GSOC appealed for any witnesses. Anyone with relevant information is asked to make contact with them on 1890 600800.

Meanwhile, two nuns were killed when the car they were in was involved in a crash with a PSNI vehicle on the Belfast Rd near Newry, Co Down. The two male officers were not seriously injured.

The accident happened on the Belfast Rd near the Derrycraw Rd.

The Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman has launched an investigation.

The incidents follow a crash on the outskirts of Limerick City last Thursday in which three men in their 70s were seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle being pursued by gardaí.