:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QMTP7PUXQ5UZ3QECWCHSD5EBVE.jpg)
A 29-year-old man is to appear in court in Limerick on Wednesday morning charged in relation to the death of champion boxer Kevin Sheehy (20).
Gardaí, who launched a murder investigation after a suspected deliberate hit-and-run, said the man, who was being questioned at Roxboro Road Garda station, would appear at Limerick District Court at 10.30am.
A second man, aged 18, who had been questioned by gardaí at Henry Street Garda station, was released without charge on Tuesday night. A file is being prepared on the man for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Gardaí on Tuesday said Mr Sheehy died from injuries “consistent with a fatal road traffic collision”. However, they said “for operational reasons” they were not releasing the specific results of a postmortem on Mr Sheehy.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QLJ76J63WG4HBLMMHYY4PGIZWY.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/G2IE3GBKAR7R7M3AGO6SSXBHKU.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/JADDMBTFCFEWYKO7HW4UPNY2JA.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CYZNYOTE644KII5QDMKDTCH7FY.jpg)
A black SUV that struck Mr Sheehy in the early hours of Monday at Hyde Road, on the south of Limerick city, left the scene, and travelled across the city before been abandoned near the Gaelic Grounds GAA stadium at Ennis Road.
Gardaí are investigating claims that Mr Sheehy was killed after “banter” and “slagging” was exchanged between people attending a house party on the morning he was killed.
Family, friends and neighbours of Mr Sheehy – a five-time Irish boxing champion from John Carew Park – have created a public shrine at the scene of his killing, leaving poignant messages for their “champ” beneath a tree decorated with floral tributes.
Parish priest Fr John Walsh said he met Mr Sheehy’s pregnant partner Emma Colbert at the scene and gave her a “small blessing”. The young couple were looking forward to the arrival of a baby daughter, due in the next five weeks.
Ms Colbert left a message at the scene: “Please give me the strength to get through this Kevin. I am so lost without you already. All I want is a big hug and kiss from you. I’ll love you forever and always...Emma xxx.”
She continued: “My boy, my best friend, I am numb. I can’t believe I am writing this on paper, words can’t describe how I feel right now. There is no one in the world I adore more than you, my boy you made me the happiest girl in the world.
“You were so excited to meet your princess. I promise you she will know everything about you and how much you love her and couldn’t wait to have our own little family.”
Another letter at the scene read: “To Daddy, I couldn’t wait to meet you and for us to be a family. Please mind me and mammy. Love your baby girl xxx.”
Bereft
Fr Walsh said everyone in the community was shocked by the death. “There is no doubt it is an extraordinary situation. It leaves us all bereft.”
He said prayers were said at Mass for Mr Sheehy’s family and partner.
“I met her at the scene of the incident earlier. All I can say is that she was completely devastated, as indeed all the family are. People are numb by the tragedy because he was such a young man with a bright future before him, and all that’s just gone.
“Our hearts go out to them. What more can we do but offer our hand of friendship and prayer, and that’s what we have been doing in the church.”
Canon Donough O’Malley, who has recently served in the parish, said: “All our fellow citizens are shocked at the death of a good young lad who achieved a lot in the sporting world in his short life.”