THERE is shock in the hurling heartland of Patrickswell this Saturday as it emerged local father and hurling hero Paul Carey was killed in a road traffic collision in Dubai yesterday.
Mr Carey, a brother of retired Limerick hurling legend Ciaran Carey, and an uncle to current Limerick hurling star Cian Lynch, would have celebrated his 42nd birthday in two weeks time.
Poignantly, the hurling stalwart who captained ‘the Well’ on their 18th senior hurling title in 2003, was expecting his second child with his heartbroken wife Anna, a family source said.
Family, friends, and neighbours, were rallying around Ms Carey, a native of the Philippines, and the couple’s young son Fionn, at their home in Patrickswell.
The young couple had decided to relocate home from Dubai, where they had lived for the past eight years, in time for the Christmas period.
Mr Carey, who was teaching English and Religion in Dubai, had been making last minute arrangements to finalise their full-time move back to Ireland.
The tight-knit community was in deep shock as it tried to come to terms with the awful news, and family members were trying desperately to navigate their way through the latest guidelines on travel and repatriation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The family are in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Irish Embassy in the United Arab Emirates.
Colin Bell of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust said the organisation was contacted by the family, and he pledged to provide any assistance necessary to expeditiously repatriate Mr Carey’s body home to Patrickswell for burial.
The Dubai authorities have informed the family that Mr Carey died in a road traffic collision at a roundabout, however details remained sketchy as to how the fatal collision occurred.
“Trying to get Paul home is the most important thing. Words can’t describe it, it’s your worst nightmare, especially when this happens overseas,” said the family source.
“Obviously his family want to be there with him, even to formally identify his body, and have any questions they may have answered.”
Paying tribute, they said: “Paul was a great guy who was full of life, he was a top class guy and loved by everybody, and a great roll model for his while family.”
Mr Carey, one of ten siblings, lifted silverware with his beloved Patrickswell, captaining the side to their 18th senior title in 2003 – a day he starred alongside his brothers Ciaran and Kevin, and, his nephew Cian, who won an All-Ireland hurling medal for Limerick in 2018, appeared as the Patrickswell club mascot.
He had also lined out for Limerick through the ranks, from underage to Under-21 to senior.
“He loved Patrickswell, he was proud as punch of the place as were his community proud of him, he loved hurling, and he loved following Limerick’s successes, he was so looking forward to the Munster Final next weekend (November 15th), and he will be a huge loss to his family and to his community,” the source added.
A local man, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s terribly sad and so sudden, Paul was a tremendous hurler and contributor to the Patrickswell community, and he had been linked in with Limerick hurling panels at all grades.”
A Department of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman said it was “aware” of the death of an Irish man in Dubai on Friday, and was “providing consular assistance” to his family in Limerick.
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