Two men who died when they were electrocuted at a friend's wake in Limerick on Sunday were named yesterday. Kathryn Hayes reports.
Thomas Liston (41), a married father of three, from Croagh, Co Limerick, and Niall Fitzpatrick (36), a single man from Broadford, Co Limerick, were electrocuted while trying to erect flood- lighting in a field, which was being used as a car park for mourners attending the wake of 21-year-old Billy Sheehan.
Mr Sheehan was killed on Friday night in a single car accident on the N69.
Three separate investigations were launched yesterday into Sunday evening's accident.
These are being carried out by An Garda Síochána, the Health and Safety Authority and the ESB.
Mr Liston's sons, Robert and Séamus, were also injured in the accident, which took place just a few miles outside the Co Limerick town of Askeaton at 5.10 p.m.
They are recovering at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick where their condition was described as "stable" last night.
They are expected to be moved to the special burns unit in Cork University Hospital some time today.
Sunday evening's accident happened when a tower light, which was being used to illuminate a car park in a field, was being moved and came in contact with a live overhead cable. This caused an electrical blackout in the entire area.
Attempts were made to resuscitate Mr Liston and Mr Fitzpatrick, but they were pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
Yesterday Mr Mike Liston said his brother was simply "doing a favour for a friend" when the accident happened.
He described his brother as a "straight-talker" who was always willing to help when someone needed it.
"This is just tragic. We can't take it in. He was just helping out," said Mr Liston.
Mr Fitzpatrick was also being mourned in Co Limerick yesterday where he was a well-known sporting figure.
A single man, the 36-year-old was a leading figure in Dromcollogher-Broadford's successful Gaelic football side in 1992.
Senior club manager Mr Moss McCarthy said: "We are all just devastated and find it very hard to understand how something like this could happen."
Mr Fitzpatrick worked as a deliveryman for a local poultry business and lived with his mother in Broadford, Co Limerick.
"He was a wonderful son and a lovely man. This is a terrible blow for his poor mother," said a neighbour.
Mr Fitzpatrick's sister, Martina, was married recently and is currently on honeymoon in Cape Town in South Africa. Gardaí were last night trying to contact her to tell about the death of her brother.
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 mourners attended the funeral yesterday of Mr Sheehan, who was the son of well-known business people Willie and Ita Sheehan.
Mr Sheehan was laid to rest following a service at the old Jesuit College in Mungret, Co Limerick, which is currently home to the Limerick Christian Centre.
Speaking at the funeral service the dead man's father, Mr Willie Sheehan, described his son as a "precious gift".
"We had him until he was 21, he was a precious gift and we do not know why God called him.
"There was overwhelming love shared by young and old over the past number of days."
His mother, Mrs Ita Sheehan, said she loved all her eight children, but said Billy was the one she loved "deeply".
Mr Sheehan, who worked in the family business, was buried in Beigh cemetery in Ballysteen yesterday afternoon.