Tributes paid to Limerick man, 23, who died in a tragic holiday accident  in Greece

Darren Whelan, 23, from Limerick, died in a tragic accident while on holidays in Greece.

Tributes have been paid to a talented young Co Limerick hurler who lost his life in a tragic accident on the Greek island of Ios over the weekend.

The deceased man, named locally as Darren Whelan from the parish of Kildimo-Pallaskenry, sustained fatal injuries after falling from a height, sometime between last Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The 23-year-old, who had studied civil engineering at Limerick Institute of Technology, had travelled to the Greek island with friends to celebrate graduating from college.

A Greek police source said local police were investigating the incident, but were understood to be treating Mr Whelan’s death as “an accident”.

Local Independent councillor and barrister Emmett O’Brien, who is a family friend, said his “thoughts and sympathies” were with Mr Whelan’s parents and his two brothers.

“His untimely passing has left utter devastation in the locality of Kildimo-Pallaskenry, he was the life and soul of the hurling team and the social fabric of the community,” he said. 

“I often socialised with him, he was a lovely gentleman, very friendly, very intelligent, and he had a huge career in front of him.”

Sean Cuddihy, secretary of Kildimo-Pallaskenry GAA club, said everyone at the club was devastated after hearing about Mr Whelan’s sudden passing.

“Our focus has been on getting his team-mates together and supporting them,” said Mr Cuddihy.

“We are playing senior hurling this year for the first time in our history and [Darren] played from half-back/midfield, to half-forward this year.

We got all the players together and got a person who works in the mental health area to speak to them and outline basically how to look after themselves and each other over the next while, because it is going to take time for the body to come back and for the funeral.” 

A spokesman for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust confirmed it has been contacted to offer assistance to the Whelan family in helping to organise to repatriate Mr Whelan’s remains home for his funeral.

A spokeswoman at the Department of Foreign Affairs said: “The Department of Foreign Affairs is aware of the case and providing consular assistance.”