Two victims of mountain accident named

One of the people who died on Carrauntuohill mountain yesterday has been named as John Lucey, Secretary General of the defence forces represetatives body PDFORRA.

Joan O'Leary, who was in her mid-thirties and from Castletownroche in Co Cork, also died in a fall in a remote area of the mountain.

The Minister for Defence Michael Smith said he is shocked and saddened at the untimely death of John Lucey.

John Lucey was one of a party of four who were making their way down a steep valley when the accident happened.

Three of them fell a significant distance.

The fourth made his way to a farmhouse to raise the alarm.

The Kerry mountain rescue team, who were already in the area tending to another accident victim, made their way to the site in the Black Valley.

One 35-year-old man, who was rescued with back and head injuries, was airlifted to Tralee General Hospital.

But the body of John Lucey and a woman in her thirties lay in a dangerous slope.

The decision was taken to wait until this morning to remove them.