Tributes have poured in following the deaths of two women who were killed within minutes of each other in separate road traffic incidents in Co Dublin and Co Tipperary.
A Co Tipperary woman in her early 70s, named locally as Nellie O'Shea, was killed when she was hit by a truck in Carrick-on-Suir on Wednesday at about 1pm.
Ms O'Shea was crossing the Limerick to Waterford Road (N24) when the incident happened in the Townspark area. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Local councillor Richie Molloy said Ms O'Shea was well-known and liked and volunteered at Family Carers Ireland.
“It is an unbelievable shock what has happened. I’ve never heard of such a horrific accident,” he said.
“She was a lovely person and very active member of the community.”
Josie Waters, a close friend of Ms O'Shea, said the community was in "awful shock" at the death of the "lovely and gentle" woman.
“Just before it happened I was with Nellie. She said to me ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, I’m off now to catch the bus’ and that’s the last I saw of her,” she said.
“There was confusion when it first happened who it was. We got an awful fright when we realised. It’s so sad.”
Ms Waters said Ms O’Shea’s partner had died nine months ago but she continued to be involved in carer and retirement organisations.
"Poor Nellie was really looking forward to a holiday she had booked in Portugal – she couldn't wait to go and was very excited. She loved meeting people, she was great."
Cabinteely
The same day another pedestrian was killed crossing the road on the southbound carriageway of the N11 close to Cabinteely village in south Dublin just before 1pm.
The woman, aged in her 80s, died after being struck by a car. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Local councillor Patricia Stewart said it was a tragedy the woman had died and her thoughts were with her family and friends.
“This is terribly sad for the lady who died and for her family. Such a tragedy underlines the need for the new pedestrian crossings to be put in place as soon as possible,” she said.
Ms Stewart said Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council approved plans to upgrade that section of the road recently.
Ms Stewart said although there was an existing footbridge few used it as it took some time to cross over.
