Village festivities shattered by the fairground tragedy

IT was no giant whim knuckle ride. The "chair o plane" at Borrisokane was just a 50p a go fairground roundabout.

Yesterday, it looked as if the yellow metal chair in which Ms Marese Egan was killed had just dropped off its bar. It was lying up ended on the ground just a few feet away.

A local woman, who did not want to be named, said her 10 year old daughter was in the chair just before the accident. She said she heard a loud creaking noise as the ride went round.

It had been a great Sunday for the Tipperary village, with the fancy dress parade, concert, football match and funfair in the August sunshine.

Parish priest, Canon James Madden, had been there earlier that afternoon with local politicians and festival committee for the parade. Five hours later he was called away from the hurling match on television to give the last rites to the 25 year old woman.

When he arrived a crowd had gathered and they were waiting for the ambulance. Samantha was "screaming and crying", he said, and Ms Egan was strapped into the chair with the iron safety bar. He said it looked like Samantha had been sitting on her lap and was thrown clear.

Ms Egan, a single parent, living with her mother, Phyllis, and brother, Adrian, was at the fair with her mother and daughter, Samantha (4). The family home in Springfield, about two miles from the village, was surrounded by cars yesterday afternoon as people came to pay their respects.

The village had been enjoying its second annual homecoming festival organised by a committee of local publicans. Last year's festival was held in the heatwave and Sunday seemed to be a repeat of the good times. Yesterday, none of the committee members would comment on Ms Egan's death.

The village streets were deserted as the rain pelted down on the small scrubby field with the fair ground swing boats and roundabouts.

Locals said the fair came to town on Friday and started on Saturday night. No one seemed to know who the fair operators were. They said they were living in a caravan near the rides.

Publican, Mr Paul McKenna, described Ms Egan as a quiet woman. "She adored the child. She never went anywhere, only to bingo."

Others said she was always known as the lucky woman. Just recently she won about £200 and a few months ago she won a holiday to the Canaries playing bingo.

"You read about these things happening in resorts like Florida, but not on your doorstep," one man said. "She was dead as soon as she hit the ground."

There was speculation that she might have thrown Samantha clear when the bar snapped.