LAID TO REST… Shane Mulholland
THERE has been widespread shock and sadness at the death on Friday of last week, as a result of a road traffic collision on the Lisnaskea-Derrylin road, of Fermanagh county hurler and under-age hurling coach, Shane Mulholland (27).
A native of Loughgiel in county Antrim, he lived with his wife, Vanessa (nee Gilheaney) and their baby daughter, Aisling at Kilnakelly, Derrylin. They were married a year, almost to the day and, just recently, Shane had landed a ‘dream job’, as development coach with Cavan GAA.
He is further survived by his parents, his stepfather, and by his brother and sister and grandmother.
He was fatally injured when his car was in collision with another vehicle on Friday last, 24th April at 7pm some four miles from Lisnaskea on the main road to Derrylin.
This week, the scene of the accident, which is several hundred yards from the entrance to the Share Centre, is marked by a Lisbellaw club jersey attached to a hurley stick and strung on the hedge. Some debris remained in a field.
An adult and two children in the second vehicle were treated in hospital but later discharged.
Expressions of sympathy came in once the news of the death was known. Before the start of Saturday night’s NFL Division 3 football final in Croke Park between Fermanagh and Armagh, a minute’s silence was observed for Shane and for former Fermanagh football manager, Pat King.
At the weekend, Shane’s mum, Mary, described Shane as, ‘the best son any mother could ever have’.
“He told me he was living the dream. He had his wife and wee baby (born in February), and a new job. He was so happy. That is my only comfort, that I know Shane died a happy man.
“His nana said that he had the best heart that God ever put in any man, and that’s what we all felt about him. He would have been the best daddy that Aisling could ever have had. He was proud of her.”
Shane was due to start coaching the under-8s in Derrylin O’Connells GAA club the next morning and, as noted, he was a member of Lisbellaw hurling club where he coached the under-14s and under-16s.
Sean Duffy, ex-club and county star with Lisbellaw, rang the Herald first thing on Monday morning to express his sorrow, and his admiration.
“In 2013 he coached our under-14s to an All-Ireland Feile final, and the thing that has stayed with me was the smile on his face after they won the semi-final coming up the steps from the field. The pride on his face that night, you would know just how proud he was.
“He had coached this team and had set such high standards, and he was just so proud, knowing what they had achieved.”
Shane would have been on Saturday’s Fermanagh panel for the Lory Meagher game against Warwickshire at Brewster Park (1pm).
Mr Duffy, joint manager, said the game, given the tragic circumstances, was ‘the last thing on our mind’, but the fixture would be fulfilled.
“Shane would have had it no other way other than to give it our best.”
In addition to this road traffic collision on the Lisnaskea-Derrylin road, there was a one-vehicle road traffic collision reported to the PSNI.
Ironically, it also occurred at around 7pm on Friday last, April 24th near Drumguiff crossroads, about two miles from Lisnaskea. There was no report of any injuries.
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