The man in his 60s who died Thursday evening in a quad bike tragedy in Co Mayo has been named locally.

The 67 year-old man became the second victim of a farm tragedy within a week, when his quad bike overturned while he was spreading weedkiller on Thursday evening.

The victim, named locally as Anthony (Tony) O'Malley, Derrew, Ballyheane, Castlebar, was killed instantly.

The local community is devastated by the loss of the popular farmer who retired about two years ago from his post as a member of the outdoor staff of Mayo County Council.

“Tony was a great craftsman”, Michael Kilcoyne, an elected member of Mayo County Council said this morning. “He was well known in Castlebar for his work over the years both with Castlebar Town Council and subsequently Mayo County Council.”.

A post mortem examination is to take place today at Mayo University Hospital.

Both An Garda Siochána and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) have begun an investigation.

It is understod the accident was discovered around teatime yesterday (Friday) when his wife, Katie, began looking for him when he failed to come indoors for his evening meal.

Mr. O'Malley is survived by Katie and a son, Kevin,

The O'Malley family sustained a grievous blow in August of last year with the untimely death of Tony and Katie's other son, Tony Junior.

The tragic death is the second farm fatality in the Republic this week.

On Tuesday, Martin Kehoe, Jnr., a son of Martin Kehoe, the world renowned ploughman, died in an agricultural accident involving a molasses tank.

Online Editors