Uncle first on scene of nephew's fatal crash
Shane Crickard is the second young man to die in a road traffic accident in north Kerry in less than a week.
The tragic scene of the road accident that clamed the life of Ballyduff man Shane Crickard this week will be forever etched in the memory of his loving uncle John, who was first to arrive at the scene of the devastating crash on Monday morning.
Having waited a while for his nephew to show up to catch a lift to work, well-known builder John O'Grady decided to set off on his own, unaware of the harrowing scene that awaited him just minutes later on the main Ballyheigue to Causeway road.
With just a few short miles between both men, John was the first person to come upon the accident that had instantly claimed the life of his 20-year-old nephew. What makes Shane?s tragic death even more difficult to comprehend, according to his other uncle David, is the fact that he never travelled to work on his motorbike, but did so on Monday because his car was at the garage.
Son of Philip and Mary and older to brother to Jim (16) and Denise (12), Shane was travelling on the R551 at Ballinoe, about a mile outside Causeway, when his motorbike collided with a van shortly before 8.30am.
Shane is the second young man to die in a road traffic accident in north Kerry in less than a week, following the death of Abbeyfeale teen Matthew 0?Connor, aged 16, in Listowel last Thursday.
So far this year, 12 people have died in ten accidents in Kerry, compared to nine deaths from 11 accidents last year. The total number of fatalities on Kerry roads in 2007 was 11, resulting from 13 accidents.
Commenting on his nephew and work colleague, David O?Grady remembered with fondness an ?extremely mischievous, fun and witty young man? who loved his family, his friends ? and his bikes.He was always messing and fooling and his extremely mischievous and funny personality will always live on with us. Sure, we probably don?t know the half of it,? he joked. Saying that though, he was also quite and timid at the same time. He had friends near and far and having spoken with them over the last few days, you realise how popular he really was.?
Of course, Shane?s major love was his cars and motorbikes, with his uncle conceding that he had ?more cars in the last year and many would have in a lifetime.? He said that he was forever in the garage ripping engines apart and putting them together ? ?always on the go.?
Having worked with his uncles at O?Grady construction since he left school, Shane had built up a great relationship with them and his never-say-no attitude was a credit to him, David said.He was never one to say no - a great worker,? he said. ?We are devastated but we have to believe it was his time.?
Shane?s remains will be removed from his home at Kilmore, Ballyduff, at 10.30am on Thursday morning with his funeral mass being celebrated in the local church at 12noon.
