Martin’s death stuns community
POPULAR FAMILY MAN AND PLOUGHING CHAMPION DIES FOLLOWING ACCIDENT ON FARM, WRITES DAVID LOOBY
THE DEATH of former national ploughing champion Martin Kehoe Jnr following a tragic farm accident at his family business in Foulksmills on Tuesday, has been mourned across the country.
33-year-old Martin was working at a grain store at the family farm in Foulksmills when he was overcome with fumes, gardaí said.
Emergency services were called and medical assistance was administered at the scene, but he was pronounced dead at approximately 12.30 p.m.
His body was removed to University Hospital Waterford for a post mortem examination.
Martin Jnr is survived by his wife Kerrie; children Aoibheann, Saoirse and Tadgh; father, Martin and and siblings Willie John, Eleanor, Chris and Michelle. He was predeceased by his mother Karen.
Mr Kehoe had won national ploughing titles at U21 and U28 level, as has his brother Willie John who has represented Ireland at world championships on a number of occasions.
Their father, Martin Kehoe Snr is managing director of the family business Kehoe Farming Ltd and has been the World Ploughing Champion three times and is still ploughing 50 years on from when he first started competing in the mid-1960s.
Members of Mr Kehoe’s family were on site at the National Ploughing Championships when news of the young man’s death filtered through. Men were seen hugging one another in fields and breaking down in tears at the news, such was the affection and warmth in which young Martin was held.
Ploughing championship spokeswoman Anna May McHugh said in a statement: ‘We are deeply shocked and saddened today. The Kehoe family is synonymous with the Ploughing Championships. On behalf of the NPA [National Ploughing Association] we have sent our deepest sympathies to the Kehoe family who are so well known and considered ploughing royalty. It’s a very dark day for the whole association.’
‘For this tragic death to happen on the day of our opening, is just unimaginable and our hearts go out to Martin jnr’s wife Kerrie and their three young children.’
Mr Kehoe’s father, Martin Snr and brother were on site in Tullamore when they learned of the tragic accident. Martin Snr was coaching an under-21 competitor and his other son was here with the family business. Martin Jnr was due to join the rest of the family later in the week.
A minute’s silence was observed on Wednesday at the championships.
Martin was an exceptional ploughman and athlete. He represented Ireland 12 times and won awards in national tug of war competitions. He grew up in Clongeen and played hurling for the local GAA club.
A fun loving man who always had a smile on his face, Martin was devoted to his children and wife and was a loyal, true friend.
Caroline Foxe, Clongeen Postmistress, said: ‘People are just stunned, shocked and numb with grief. Martin was a beautiful young man. He had a smile that would melt you. He played hurling and had an outer strength when he played and an inner strength also. He was a proper gentleman.’
She said the tight knit community in Clongeen and people in the farming community across the country are at a loss for words following the tragedy.
‘His family is held in such high esteem, not just in Wexford, but all over Ireland and the world. It’s such a tragic loss and so ironic that it happened on the first day of the Ploughing Championships. They were such a happy family, with their whole lives ahead of them. It’s such a disaster, but there is nothing like Clongeen people to come together. We have been bombarded with deaths in the past year, but we will never see his likes again.’
Several councillors from the locality extended their condolences to the Kehoe family on their tragic loss, including Cllr Michael Whelan and Cllr Willie Fitzharris.
Former TD Hugh Byrne said the Kehoes are renowned for their careful attention to detail in their work.
He said: ‘ They are probably one of the best and most careful farming families in the country. Any time they did any work for me or any of my neighbours, you knew they would be extremely careful. This must have been an awful accident because the Kehoes were very safe people.’