New road safety plea following emergency services deaths
Mourners at the funerals of a garda and firefighter killed in the line of duty today heard calls for people to take greater care on the roads.
Garda Brian Kelleher and volunteer fireman Mike Liston were clearing a late night road accident in Co Limerick at the weekend when they were struck by another car.
At separate funerals in Foynes and Dromin, family, friends and colleagues were told the work of emergency services is often taken for granted.
Dromin Parish priest Fr Anthony Mullins told several hundred mourners: "We don't think of the serious risks that gardaí and fire officers face almost daily, until we are faced with such a tragedy, as we have here today.
"All the more reason why we must all take greater care and individual responsibility for our driving and our attitude to safety on our roads. We can excuse ourselves too easily by saying it is the responsibility of others.
"Gardai and the various agencies involved in road safety need our support to help bring about this change of attitude. Otherwise the pain and sadness that we have come to know in this community these past few days will continue to be someone else's grief and heartache tomorrow."
Garda Kelleher, 46, from Bruree, and Mr Liston, 47, from Foynes, had travelled with other emergency service workers to deal with an overturned car at Barrigone, between Askeaton and Foynes, in the early hours of Sunday.
They were on the scene and overseeing the lifting of the vehicle from the initial accident when the horrific crash happened shortly after 5.30am.
Even though ambulance teams were on hand, the garda and fireman died on the roadside surrounded by their grief-stricken colleagues.
Gda Kelleher is survived by his wife Maria and three sons James, Finbar and Christopher. Mr Liston leaves his wife Bernadette, three daughters - Noelle, Lynn and Anne - and one son Niall.
After mass at St Senan's Church, Foynes Mr Liston was laid to rest. The cortege carrying the volunteer firefighter made its way to the church flanked by hundreds of firefighters with the coffin drawn on a custom-made hose reel.
Mourners stopped outside the fire station for a minute's silence as they made their way to the nearby Robertstown Cemetery.
Among them were representatives from the Government and State bodies. President Mary McAleese was represented by Captain Lorraine Fahey from the Defence Forces and Captain Mick Treacy represented Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Minister for Transport Martin Cullen also attended Garda Kelleher's funeral along with Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy.
Fr Mullins said it was a wonderful tribute that so many of the men's colleagues came to pay their respects.
And he asked for prayers for the family: "Today the community indeed the entire country reaches out to you, we gather around you, to support you, to be with you, to pray for you and to pray for Brian. We look for hope through the darkness of it all. We search for understanding, we look for meaning."
Fr Mullins described Garda Kelleher as a genuinely loving man who was totally focused on serving the community.
"It was his life," he said. "He had as we say in these parts the common touch. He related well with the people of his district.
"He was approachable, often offering wise words of advice, keen to see people make a success of their lives. He will be very much missed by the people of Croom and his colleagues at the station there and also in Askeaton."
