A NURSE killed in a three-car hit-and-run collision was described by her former football coach as a ādedicated carerā who āalways had a quiet smile for youā.
Aine OāReilly, 30s, was driving to work at after-hours GP service Shannondoc in Limerick City when her car was struck by a hit and run driver this past Friday night (February 13).
Ms OāReilly died instantly in the collision, which occurred on the N24, a short distance from her family home at Pallasgreen.
The male driver of the car that collided with Ms OāReillyās car fled the scene. GardaĆ said they were following āa definite line of enquiryā in respect of the motorist.
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A man who was driving a third car, also caught up in the collision, was treated at University Hospital Limerick for non-life-threatening injuries.
Ms OāReilly followed her parents footsteps into the public service, her father, Eugene, a retired Garda, and her mother, Ann, a retired teacher. She was dedicated to helping others through her work, her former football coach, Noreen Stokes, said.
āIt is a huge shock, there is a huge cloud over the community. Aine was a young lady going to do her job in a caring profession as a nurse, and for her life to be cut down like that is a serous tragedy,ā said Ms Stokes, a local teacher and elected member of Limerick City and County Council.
āAineās family are a very quiet, unassuming family. She was the only girl, her father is a retired Garda, her mother is a retired teacher. I would have know Aine from when I taught the local underage girls football team.ā
Paying tribute to Ms OāReilly, Cllr Stokes said: āAine always came across as a very quiet and refined lady, and obviously with the profession that she took on, those qualities came out. She went into a profession to care and look after people to the best of her ability.ā
āAny time I ever met her in her adult years she always had a quiet smile, a smile of recognition, on her face.ā
Ms OāReilly had three brothers, one of whom was to make the heartbreaking journey from Dubai to Pallasgreen for her funeral, Ms Stokes said.
āThereās a lot of questions to be asked and lots of answers to be found, itās such a shock for any Garda to come to their door and tell them that their daughter has been killed. I spoke to Aineās father but I cannot even think how the family are feeling.
āThe family played key roles in the community and the community will do its best to try to support them throughout and beyond this awful tragedy.ā
Ms Stokes said that āAine was young lady who left her family to go to work, like many of us do, but we do expect to come home.ā
On Saturday, GardaĆ appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage relating to the fatal collision.
Releasing a statement this Sunday, GardaĆ said they were āfollowing a definite lineā of enquiry, and thanked the public for their assistance.
āInvestigations are ongoing,ā GardaĆ said.