The woman who died after being hit by an SUV while out jogging in Tralee, Co Kerry at the weekend has been named locally as Anila Mucaj.
The incident happened on Sunday morning when Ms Mucaj (48) and two friends were out running on a flat but narrow route, popular with walkers, cyclists and joggers, leading from Tralee to the Blennerville bridge.
The mother of two was treated at the scene before being removed by ambulance to University Hospital Kerry, where she was pronounced dead.
Her jogging companions were treated for non-life threatening injuries. A man, understood to be the driver of the SUV, was also taken to hospital to be treated for injuries that gardaí said were not life threatening.
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Ms Mucaj was a member of the Tralee-based Born to Run Club and had taken part in a number of marathons in recent years.
In a social media post, the club said: “Today we have been left devastated by the tragic news that our beautiful, kind friend Anila has passed away after an crash on the canal road, our thoughts are with her husband and her two beautiful boys and all of Anila’s family at this time. We pray also for Claire and Clara who were running with Anila so that they make a full recovery, our thoughts are with all the families this evening.”
There were several further tributes to Ms Mucaj, which noted her warm and caring nature and the impact the news would have on her husband and children.
“Anila was a kind, caring, beautiful person and put everyone else first,” said one.
At a meeting of councillors from Kerry County Council’s Tralee Municipal District on Monday, Mayor of Tralee Mikey Sheehy said Ms Mucaj’s death had come as “a huge shock” for residents of the town.
The Canal Road area was “a running hub”, said the Fianna Fáil member, adding that the thoughts of council members and the wider community were with Ms Mucaj’s family and friends.
Fine Gael councillor Angie Bailey saying Ms Mucaj’s death would leave “a huge hole” in the Mercy Mounthawk school community, in which she was actively involved.
Sinn Féin councillor Pat Daly said he wished the two other injured women a speedy recovery.
