GAA couple killed in car crash near Chicago

AN IRISH couple who emigrated to north America were killed in a road crash about an hour’s drive from Chicago on Sunday.

AN IRISH couple who emigrated to north America were killed in a road crash about an hour’s drive from Chicago on Sunday.

The couple have been named as former Kerry hurler Joe O’Connell and his wife Ann Coleman, who played camogie for Galway.

It is understood that their three children were injured, and one is in a critical condition in a hospital in Chicago.The family were en route to the west coast on holiday.

The couple and their children, aged between 10 and 16 years, emigrated several years ago.

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Mr O’Connell played hurling for Kerry for several years, having been first selected for the county team in 1979. He won the first of five Kerry senior championship medals with his club Causeway. He won an All-Ireland B hurling title with Kerry in 1983.

Ms Coleman won All-Ireland club medals in camogie in 1992 and 1993. She was from a strong GAA family in Abbeyknockmoy, Co Galway.

Her brother played on the Galway team which won the All-Ireland hurling final in 1988.