This article is from page 9 of the 2014-08-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 9 JPG
THE PEOPLE of Liscannor, Doolin and all of North Clare are in mourning today following the tragic death of local man TJ McDonagh.
TJ, who was 38-years old, passed away on Wednesday evening after a tragic accident while working on his family farm in Moher.
This is the third time that tragedy has touched the McDonagh family with TJ’s brother Declan losing his life in a motorcycle accident in Lisdoonvarna in 2002, while his uncle also died in a motorcycle tragedy in the 1960s.
TJ’s funeral took place at St Brigid’s Church Liscannor on Saturday, on the same day that his brothers 12 year anniversary mass was due to take place.
Mr McDonagh, who was an agricultural contractor by trade, was responsible for much of the restoration work which took place in the area following this winter’s devastating storms.
Indeed, TJ cleared the devastated Doolin Pier on three separate occasions in January and February, restoring access for the ferry operators and Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard.
TJ was also a great lover of the Aran Island and was planning to visit Inis Oirr for the curragh races this weekend. A number of boats servicing Doolin pier flew at half mast over the weekend in his honour.
“He was a great person and a great friend of everyone on the boats,” said Donnie Garrihy of the Doolin to Aran Ferries.
“He was a great worker, a great businessman and a real man.
“He came to our assistance on three separate times over the winter when the storms hit Doolin. He will be missed.”
TJ passed away while he was fitting a wheel at his family farm on Wednesday evening.
TJ’s father Tommy heard a loud bang just after 7.30pm and ran and discover his son, who had sustained a serious head injury understood to have been caused by the wheel exploding.
An ambulance from Ennistymon along with a second ambulance and rapid response advanced paramedic unit from Ennis were sent to the scene. Gardaí and a local doctor also responded to the emergency call.
He was airlifted to Galway University Hospital where he died shortly afterwards.
He is survived by his mother Mary, father Tommy as well as his brother Brian and sisters Fiona, Stella and Marian.