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10th April 2024
05:27pm BST
A member of An Garda Síochána has been arrested and interviewed in connection to the death of Drogheda GAA coach Niall McEneaney.
The 42-year-old was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Louth in the early hours of St. Patrick’s Day.
Gardaí and emergency services were alerted after a pedestrian was found unresponsive on Rathmullen Road in Drogheda.
The officer who was arrested in relation to the incident has since been released without charge but remains suspended from duties.
In a statement to JOE, a spokesperson for GSOC said: "GSOC received a referral from An Garda Síochána on the 17 March 2024, following a road traffic incident in Drogheda that took place in the early hours of the morning.
"The referral was made by a Garda Superintendent under section 102(1) of the Garda Síochána Act, 2005.
"The matter is now under investigation by GSOC further to section 98 of the Garda Síochána Act, 2005.
"As part of the investigation, a person has been arrested and interviewed.
"GSOC’s investigation remains ongoing. As such, no further comment will be made at this time."
Tributes poured in after the news broke of Mr McEneaney's death, with local counsellor Declan Power saying: “He was just a great guy and an absolute gentleman.
“To be coming home a very sociable guy out for a few pints walking home and to be hit by a car, it’s tragic," Cllr Power told The Mirror.
"Niall was married only recently in the last four or five years to Grace. No kids.
"His family originates from Drogheda and is a lovely, lovely family. They will be just devastated at this. It’s such a shock. It’s unreal.”
May Niall McEneaney rest in peace.#RIP #InMemoriam pic.twitter.com/CX82HnSBW2
— Meath GAA (@MeathGAA) March 19, 2024
Cllr Power revealed that Mr McEneaney was “a really good friend” of his, adding, “We would have played hurling together for 10 or 12 years for the local club there in Drogheda.
“It’s an absolute travesty. I met a few of the lads earlier on and they were just devastated.
“His sport, like mine, was always hurling. He had a passion for it as a player and as a coach. For the last couple of years he had been coaching Naomh Fechins hurling team and they’ve done tremendously well. He will be a huge loss to them.”
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