Man, 24, dies as car hits wall near home in Kerry

A 24-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene when his car hit a wall on the main Tralee to Listowel road near the village of Kilflynn shortly before 10pm on Saturday night.

The dead man has been named locally as Maurice O’Donoghue, of Mountcoal, a short distance from where the fatal accident took place.

The accident occurred on the brow of a slight hill on a wide section of the N69, midway between Tralee and Listowel.

Mr O’Donoghue, a single man, was the sole occupant of the car.

Two units of the fire service, two ambulances and gardaí from Listowel and Tralee attended the scene.

He was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was removed to Kerry General Hospital, where a postmortem is to take place.

Mike Parker, of Parker’s pub in Kilflynn, said the community was in shock.

Mr O’Donoghue was one of three children and the family have close connections with Crotta-O’Neill’s Hurling Club.

The dead man’s uncle, Paddy Weir, is chairman of the Crotta Hurling Club and his first cousin, Seán Weir, is a senior Kerry hurler.

The driver of a car who was one of the first on the scene said the accident occurred on the Tralee side of the Kerry Bog Village and it appears the driver was coming from Tralee. Conditions on the road were good at the time.

Gardaí said the single- vehicle accident occurred at Glenballyma, Kilflynn, Tralee, at approximately 9.45pm.

The road was closed for a period of time, but has since reopened.

The scene remains preserved and a technical examination is being carried out

Investigating gardaí are appealing for witnesses to contact them at Tralee Garda Station on 066 7102300, the Garda confidential line 1800 666111, or any garda station.