A Garda officer has been suspended over a fatal Co Louth hit-and-run collision in which a GAA coach was killed yards from his home.
The off-duty officer is under investigation after Niall McEneaney, 42, was struck by a vehicle at Rathmullen Road in Drogheda in the early hours of Sunday.
The deceased was found unresponsive shortly after 2.30am and was pronounced dead following the arrival of emergency services.
Mr McEneaney was a former Louth hurling player who managed Termonfeckin club St Fechin’s to the last two Louth senior hurling championship titles.
The vehicle involved had failed to stop at the scene but was later located by Gardai.
An official garda car was not involved in the incident, nor was an on-duty member of the gardaí.
Former Drogheda mayor and lifelong friend of the deceased Declan Power described Mr McEneaney as a “great guy and an absolute gentleman”.
“He’s actually a really good friend of mine – we would have played hurling together for 10 or 12 years for the local club there in Drogheda,” the independent representative said.
“It’s an absolute travesty. I met a few of the lads earlier on and they were just devastated.”
Mr Power said Mr McEneaney, who was married to Grace, had a passion for hurling “as a player and a coach”.
“We’re trying to come to terms with it. It’s still not sinking in. It’s hard to believe,” he said.
Gardai are appealing for witnesses to the incident, the scene of which was preserved for forensic examination.
