Death not in vain – priest

The death of a Limerick man shortly after finding intruders in his home has raised a national awareness of the need to support the elderly living alone, his parish priest has said.

John O’Donoghue died of a heart attack outside his house at Upper Toomaline, Doon, Co. Limerick, last week after he returned home to discover his house had been ransacked by thieves.

Speaking at his funeral on Monday Fr Tony Ryan said: “I honestly believe that he has not died in vain.

“Although he did not deserve his life to end as it did, there is as we know a great consciousness now in our community, not just here but throughout rural Ireland, of the support we need to give to each other in looking out for each other, because so many elderly people are living in fear.”