Ballyhaunis death

Tragic Ballyhaunis man was working his last day with company

Michael Commins

A THIRTY-one-year-old Ballyhaunis man died tragically in a construction accident in Galway last Thursday. Declan Byrne, a married man with two young children under the age of two, sustained fatal head injuries when a steel girder fell on him. He was working on the development of a site for a new gym at the Galway Sportsground at College Road, the venue that is host to the Connacht rugby games.
Emergency services rushed to the scene but were unable to save the life of the young Mayo man. The site was closed down in the immediate aftermath of the accident as gardaí and Health and Safety Authority representatives investigated the cause of the fatal accident.
The tragedy was all the more poignant as this was Declan’s last day with the company. He decided to work the lunch-break in order to tidy up a few bits and pieces around the site. The accident took place at 1.15pm.
Declan’s parents, Margaret and Tim Byrne, are the proprietors of the popular Hazel Bar and Restaurant at Upper Main Street in Ballyhaunis. Tim is from Johnstown, Ballyhaunis while Margaret was formerly Hopkins from nearby Laraganboy.
This is the third tragedy to impact on Margaret’s family. Twenty-five years ago, her brother John Hopkins died in tragic circumstances in Cork city. In August, 2002, another brother, Brendan, who resided in Castlebar and who was very well-known throughout the community in the county town, died in a road accident near Bohola while on his way to Dublin Airport.
News of the latest tragedy in the family circle stunned the Ballyhaunis community. Declan’s wife, Dolores (nee Waldron from Carrowkeel), gave birth to their second child just ten weeks ago.
There were very large attendances at the funeral ceremonies in the town on Saturday evening and Sunday. The huge outpouring of sadness and grief was evident as the long line of mourners waited to sympathise with the family and there were poignant scenes as the handshakes of friends spoke the language of the heart.
Members of Ballyhaunis hurling and football clubs formed a guard of honour as a tribute to Declan who had played underage hurling with the club.
Canon Joe Cooney was the chief celebrant and homilist at the concelebrated Requiem Mass in St Patrick’s Church on Sunday. Interment took place in the local cemetery.
Declan is survived by his wife Dolores, daughter Erica and son Alex, parents Tim and Margaret, sisters Collette Mulkeen (Tulrahan), Ethna McGeehan (Williamstown) and Marita (Bekan), brothers Ian and Noel, grandmother Mary Hopkins, aunts, uncles, relatives, neighbours and friends.