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Kate Moran playing for Galway in 2017. INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan

Vigil held for Kate Moran (20) who died following tragic accident during camogie match

Kate is the eldest of four children to Mary and Cathal Moran, a former Athenry and Galway hurler.

LAST UPDATE | 20 Apr 2022

A CANDLELIT VIGIL has been held following the tragic passing of Kate Moran, who died during a camogie match in Galway over the Easter weekend. 

Communities in the Athenry and Monivea areas of Co Galway are still coming to terms with the death of the 20-year-old NUIG student following an accidental collision in a league camogie match on Monday evening.

Large crowds gathered at Kenny Park in Athenry this evening to pay tribute.

The name Kate and her shirt number 12 were displayed in large letters on the pitch during the candlelit vigil.

Funeral mass for the NUI Galway student will be held at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Monivea on Friday.

Athenry camogie club, who organised the candlelit vigil tonight, described Kate as a “tremendous role model”.

“This is a terrible tragedy for her family, our club and our community,” said a club statement.

“We are deeply saddened by these events. Our sympathy and thoughts are with the Moran family and friends. Kate will be greatly missed by all who knew her.”

The club added: “She was a tremendous role model for our many underage players and a wonderful leader both on and off the field of play. Her bubbly personality will be remembered for eternity.”

Joe Rabbitte, one of her coaches, said Kate was a “wonderful, wonderful kid”.

“A part of Athenry camogie died on Monday, we’re devastated, it’s going to be a very hard road for us to travel for the next couple of months,” he told RTÉ.

Kate was a third year student at NUI Galway’s College of Business, Public Policy and Law.

In a statement, the university said: “We at NUI Galway are deeply saddened at the sudden, tragic death of student Kate Moran and extend our heartfelt sympathies to her family, friends and loved ones.

“She was a tremendous role model, a talented sportswoman and someone who had a bright future ahead of her, both on and off the field.

“Our hearts go out to all those who knew and loved Kate.”

Monivea GAA club, where the Moran family live, also opened a book of condolence. Flags at the village national school, which Kate attended with her brother and sisters, flew at half-mast this morning, and messages of sympathy have been expressed by her secondary school, Presentation College in Athenry, and NUIG, where Kate was studying commerce and accounting.

Kate is the eldest of four children to Mary and Cathal Moran, a former Athenry and Galway hurler who operates a successful auctioneering business.

They, along with their other children Thady, Leah and Saorise, were planning to celebrate Kate’s 21st birthday next Monday week.

Kate was injured playing for Athenry in a senior league game against Ardrahan on Monday evening following an accidental collision. She was treated at the scene before being rushed to University Hospital Galway where she was pronounced dead on Tuesday.

“It is a very difficult time,” said Mary Rohan, chairperson of Athenry camogie club. “Kate was the most beautiful girl and everybody adored her. You met Kate and her smile would just light up and her bubbly personality shone on and off the pitch. Her teammates loved her, everybody loved her.

“She was very talented, she played with the club through underage up to senior. Kate’s father Cathal and the Moran family are steeped in the history of Athenry and Galway GAA. It’s just been a terrible shock. There are no words. We are just devastated,” she told Galway Bay FM.

She paid tribute to Galway Camogie and to Croke Park for all the support they have received, and to the wider community who have rallied behind the family and the club.

“Ardrahan camogie, we would like to thank them, they have been tremendous support. Like the whole camogie family, they have given us outpourings of support. Everybody is devastated,” added Mary Rohan.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland Marty Morrissey described Kate as a “brilliant camogie player”.

He said: “Our deepest sympathies go to Kate Moran’s family. Cathal (Kate’s dad) was part of the Athenry team that won the All-Ireland Club Championship in 1997, 2000 and 2001. Kate was a brilliant camogie player. She won two All-Ireland U16 medals.

“Our deepest sympathies to her brother Thady and her sisters Leah and Saoirse following this accidental collision in a camogie match in Ardrahan.”

With reporting from the Press Association

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    Mute Gerry Glynn
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    Nov 25th 2020, 6:45 AM

    A 6 year old could have written that report , based on visual lockdown & hearsay

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    Mute Tadhg
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    Nov 25th 2020, 9:45 AM

    @Gerry Glynn: Because every 6 year old would have access to those figures. Great comment Gerry.

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    Mute MB
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    Nov 25th 2020, 7:31 AM

    In terms of household waste- all disposable waste should have very simple labelling as to what bin to put things into. Eg Green/Grey/Brown. This would be very useful for a lot of people who just aren’t sure!

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    Mute Fifty Shades of Sé
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    Nov 25th 2020, 11:56 AM

    I think there’s a positive message to be learned from this and that’s to get away from car dependency and the 40-hour work week and our excessive consumption of meat.

    We should be working less as a result of technological advances yet we were working harder for longer hours than ever before the lockdown and having to go on longer and longer commutes to get to our places of work.

    The lockdown showed us that most of the jobs we were doing aren’t even essential and that the people who do the most essential work are often the worst paid.

    There are so many positive lessons to be learned but the government seem determined to get things back to the way we were.

    I realise not everyone will agree with this as many people thing the economy is the most important thing and that working in an office is the route to happiness and fulfillment.

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    Nov 28th 2020, 4:44 PM

    @Fifty Shades of Sé: Vote #1 for Fifty Shades of Sé.

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    Mute Max Power
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    Nov 25th 2020, 9:34 AM

    The mountain of plastic bottles from sanitizer gel /spray now in landfill or whatever poor country is now being used as recycling dump will surely cause an ecological problem!

    I’d say there would be a pile the size of Mount Everest !

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    Nov 25th 2020, 9:25 AM

    I initially thought it wasn’t included at all and eventually saw it buried in the graphics section, but the collapse in the number of flights must have had a huge environmental impact.

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    Nov 25th 2020, 9:06 AM

    The country is overpopulated if we’re not meeting emissions targets otherwise we’ll have to live like the Flintstones

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    Nov 25th 2020, 10:30 AM

    @Gerard Heery: The country isn’t overpopulated, people just aren’t willing to change how we do things or pay what is needed to meet our commitments.

    For years we have racked up debts to pay for a more convenient lifestyle (Cars, convenience, meat every day etc.), now the bill is arriving, everyone is pointing fingers and shirking our responsibility to pay.
    And when I say pay I don’t mean just money, it’s also lifestyle choices.

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    Mute MB
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    Nov 25th 2020, 7:32 AM

    In terms of household waste- all disposable waste should have very simple labelling as to what bin to put things into. Eg Green Black or Brown Bin. This would be very useful for a lot of people who just aren’t sure!

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    Mute MB
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    Nov 25th 2020, 7:32 AM

    In terms of household waste, all disposable waste should have very simple labelling as to what bin to put things into Eg Green Black or Brown Bin. This would be very useful for a lot of people who just aren’t sure!

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    Nov 25th 2020, 3:05 PM

    “glass bottle intake” up 46%… yup.

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    Nov 25th 2020, 3:22 PM

    @thesaltyurchin: Imagine the waste if Cannabis was legal!… oh wait.

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