A well-known midlands hurler and Gaelic football player was killed in a car accident at Ferbane, Co Offaly, yesterday.
Shane Ryan (30), an electrician, who played hurling with Belmont, and Gaelic football with Ferbane, and who won many underage titles with both clubs, died when his car struck a concrete post at Lisdermot yesterday morning.
His fiancée, Ms Ann Sorohan, received minor injuries in the accident.
Mr Ryan, from Lisclooney, Shannon Harbour, was honoured with a major hurling award just a fortnight ago. He turned the occasion into a double celebration by getting engaged.
He was pronounced dead after the accident at 1.10 a.m. Ms Sorohan was transferred to the Midlands Regional Hospital with minor injuries. Sports enthusiasts in the county have been numbed by the death, two weeks after Shane was named Offaly intermediate hurler of the year for 2004.
Local newspapers carried photographs of the couple at the function, which was held to honour the county's top footballers and hurlers in the Bridge House hotel, Tullamore.
"Shane played minor football and hurling for Offaly. He was a very good player.
"Last year he was one of the stars of our Offaly intermediate hurling championship win and received the Offaly intermediate hurler of the year award," said Belmont GAA Club official Mr Tony Cassidy.
"Everybody is very upset here. Shane and Ann were setting up a life together. They had a new house and they were getting married in October.
"Ann is a native of Cavan, but she has recently set up a new pharmacy business in Ferbane. The whole area is in shock."
Shane's parents, Liam and Chris, and his two brothers and three sisters, were being consoled yesterday by neighbours and friends at their home in Lisclooney.
Hundreds of mourners from the midlands, and Co Cavan, are expected to attend the funeral tomorrow in Shannon Harbour Church.
Belmont GAA Club's annual dinner-dance, at which Shane would have been feted for his part in the historic county title win, is expected to go ahead next month, although it may now be postponed as a mark of respect.
Local sports matches will this weekend observe a minute's silence.