Former All-Ireland-winning Kerry minor captain killed in road traffic accident

Victim of tragedy named locally as Danny Cahill from Laune Rangers in Killorglin, who led Kerry to minor football title in 1988

Kerry GAA in mourning

Danny Cahill, who captained the Kerry minor footballers to All-Ireland success in 1988 at Croke Park, has died following a collision in the county on Sunday.

The 52-year-old was killed in a two-vehicle collision that occurred in Kilbonnane, Beaufort, at around 1.10pm on Sunday. He was a member of the Laune Rangers club in Killorglin.

Mr Cahill was the driver and sole occupant of one of the vehicles. His body was removed from the scene to the mortuary in University Hospital Kerry where a post-mortem examination will be conducted.

The Laune Rangers club man was centre forward on the Kerry minor team which defeated Dublin by 2-5 to 0-5 at Croke Park on September 18, 1988. Also on that side were future Kerry All-Ireland winners Liam Flaherty, Pa Laide, as well as future Kerry senior goalkeeper Peter O’Leary.

Mr Cahill played alongside the likes of Kerry All-Ireland winners Mike Hassett and Billy O’Shea in a Laune Rangers side that would go on to have a golden era in the 1990s.

They won four Kerry SFC titles between 1989 and 1996 as well as the 1996 All-Ireland club senior football title – Mr Cahill missed the 1989 Kerry SFC final through injury.

Mr Cahill was the first Laune Rangers man to captain Kerry to an All-Ireland title at any grade. He was followed by his clubmate Liam Hassett who lifted Sam Maguire in 1997.

The driver of the second vehicle, a male in his late teens, was taken to the same hospital where he remained in a critical condition on Sunday evening. A female passenger, also in her late teens, was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The road remained closed on Sunday evening for an examination by Garda forensic collision investigators.

Gardai have appealed for witnesses to the collision to come forward.