Community in shock after tragic death of young Kevin

THE COMMUNITY is in shock following the death of Kevin Sheedy, who was struck and killed by an SUV on the Tallaght Bypass.

Gardaí in Tallaght have renewed their appeal to the public for information in relation to a fatal traffic collision involving a car and a pedestrian, who has been named locally as 23-year-old Kevin Sheedy, on January 11.

Following Kevin’s death, he has been remembered as “a limited edition” as well as a “loving and devoted son” by his family on RIP.ie.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help alleviate the financial strain and funeral expenses on the family.

With an initial goal of €8,000, the community has wrapped around the Sheedy family to raise over €12,200 on GoFundMe.

“The community is in shock at this young man’s sudden passing,” Cllr Dermot Richardson tells The Echo.

“It was a tragic accident that happened, and the community is trying to rally around the family at the moment, I know a GoFundMe has been set up.

“It’s terrible for both the Sheedy family and the woman who hit him.

“The visibility was quite bad on the night and that’s a bad junction, there’s no pedestrian lights there so you have to kind of run across to the middle when there’s no traffic.

“It’s terribly tragic, I know he was a lovely young man. Condolences to the family.”

On the Wednesday, January 11, at around 7.15pm, Gardaí and emergency services were alerted after the Killinarden native was struck by and SUV on the N81, at the junction with the Old Blessington Road near Springfield.

Kevin, who was a pedestrian, was treated at the scene but pronounced dead a short time later, while the driver and sole occupant of the car, a woman in her 40s, did not require hospital treatment.

A forensic examination of the scene was completed by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators.

Diversions were put in place, with road users forced to reverse back up the road towards the Killinarden junction.

Following the incident, Gardaí asked “all road users to take extra care due to the poor weather conditions” as there was heavy rain.

On Wednesday, January 18, Gardaí renewed their appeal “to any person who may have witnessed this collision” to contact them.

The garda spoksperson said: “Any road users who were travelling on, or in the vicinity of, the N81 in Tallaght on Friday evening between 6.45pm and 7.30pm and who may have camera footage (including dash cam), is asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Tallaght Garda Station on 01 666 6000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.

Kevin Sheedy is survived by his parents Liz and Paul, sisters Jade and Pearl, his niece and nephews Lyle, Ella and Rían, brother-in-law Anthony and extended family and friends.

Kevin Sheedy is reposing at his home until Sunday, January 22 from 11am to 6pm. House is private after 6pm.

Funeral mass will take place at 10am on Monday in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Killinarden and afterwards for burial in Bohernabreena Cemetery.