Man (66) dies in cycling accident
THE 66-year old man who died in a road accident on Monday morning was just a few hundred yards from his home when the tragedy occurred.
Daniel Healy, who cycled in and out of Killarney every single day from his home in Rockfield on the Tralee road, would be known to any motorist passing that road regularly.
Preliminary investigations into the accident indicate that Mr Healy was walking his bike across the road when he was involved in a collision with a car at around 8.40am on Monday morning on the N22 Tralee to Killarney road.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dash-cam evidence of the accident to contact Killarney Garda Station.
Daniel – who was originally from Dooneen, Kilcummin – cycled his trusty bike as a way to ensure he got exercise every day, and as mode of transport to Killarney town. The former ESB worker is married to Imelda, and the couple had two children, Mary and the late Daniel Jnr.
Daniel has two brothers – Billy and Johnny. His brother Billy lives in Australia and had, in fact, just been home for a visit last month to see his family. He had returned to Australia just as the COVID-19 crisis got underway and was unable to travel for the Funeral because of the world-wide situation.
Mr Healy had been involved in a serious accident on a same stretch of road a number of years ago when a tyre blew off a truck and injured him.
A familiar face to many on that road, Dan loved to meet people and would chat to anyone he met while out cycling.
His brother, Johnny, who previously worked for Killarney Town Council, is also very well know, and he paid tribute to his beloved brother and described the loss that the family feel.
This loss is made more difficult due to restricted Funeral arrangements during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Cycling was his hobby and a way of keeping fit. Everywhere he went he used his bicycle... He was a character in his own right. He loved telling stories and reminiscing and he loved meeting people. He loved company,” he said.
He kept fit all life having played for Kilcummin in his youth, and he was the holder of an O’Donoghue cup medal from 1973 – one of a few in the parish – as well as an under-14 East Kerry Championship medal, a county junior championship title and a county league title.
He still had an interest in football, and aside from cycling daily, he was also an avid swimmer, though Covid-19 had stopped these sessions.
Funeral Mass for Mr Healy, who was just weeks way from his 67th birthday on May 13, is at St Mary’s Cathedral today, Wednesday, April
28. He is survived by his seven nieces and nephews in Ireland and Australia, and his grandnieces and grandnephews.