TRIBUTES HAVE BEEN paid to a man who died last night in a 12-car pile up on the M7 Dublin-Limerick road.
The deceased, named locally as Padhraic Moran, was a well-known senior manager with the Zurich Life insurance company.
Moran, a native of Ballybunion, Co Kerry, but who had been resident in Mill Road, Corbally, Limerick, died after the car he was driving left the M7 at Newport, during a sudden severe hailstorm.
Up to twelve cars were caught up in the freak downpour, according to sources, however, no other serious injuries were reported.
Moran, a cousin of eight-time All-Ireland winning Kerry footballer and former Kerry manager “Ogie” Moran, was pronounced dead at the scene of the multi-vehicle incident after he sustained critical head injuries.
His car crashed through a fence off the M7 and came to a stop at the bottom of a ravine, sources said.
Like his late father Michael, Padhraic was an avid Kerry football supporter.
Paying tribute to Moran, colleagues in the insurance sector said he was famous for sourcing tickets for All-Ireland Finals and Munster rugby matches.
He was the guy who could get his hands on tickets right up to the last-minute on match day. He’d always pull one out of the hat for you.
“His big thing was going to the GAA matches, and he was really into the local football scene as well. He was a massive Kerry supporter – his face would light up when he talked about the GAA – and he was a big Munster fan too.”
Others paid tribute to his “softly spoken” and “kind” nature.
“He was an absolute gentleman to be 100% honest about it. He was also an extremely contentious guy too, and a really generous and helpful colleague.”
They added: “He had a busy job. He would be busy all of the time dealing with brokers all over Munster. He was a smashing guy and a really genuine person.”
Moran is survived by his wife Ann, a nurse in Limerick, his mother May, a retired nurse, his sister Kerry and his brothers Michael, Peter and Diarmuid.
“His brother Peter is a dentist in Tralee and Michael is well-known in the menswear retail trade; He runs a shop in Thurles and he also took over Willie Ryles in Tralee a few years ago.
“The late Willie Ryle was famous for outfitting the great and good from the Kingdom, including many a Kerry football team, and Michael has kept the tradition going.”
The M7 was closed between a Birdhill and Castletroy overnight, to allow gardaí examine the scene, but the road has since reopened.
Gardaí at Nenagh have appealed for witnesses to the fatal crash to contact them on 067-50450.
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