Gardaí were last night questioning three men in connection with the hit-and-run death of an 89-year-old Co Clare pensioner who died after being struck by a car as he crossed the road after attending Mass.
The retired bachelor farmer, named locally as John Cooney, died instantly after being hit by the vehicle as he crossed the road to his own Volkswagen car outside the church in the village of Ogonnelloe.
Mr Cooney had parked across from the church and was about to return home when he was struck at about 8.30pm on Saturday.
The victim's walking stick could be seen lying in two pieces on the roadway.
Three men in their 20s, all thought to be from the Killaloe area, were arrested and taken to Killaloe Garda station for questioning
A car which gardaí believe to have been involved in the incident was later discovered abandoned and burned out in a wooded area around 8km from the scene.
The car was found in Tuamgraney Woods and the damage to the bonnet on the front passenger side was clearly visible.
Supt Tony Kenneally, who is leading the investigation, has appealed for witnesses.
Elsewhere, in Co Cavan a young man in his 20s was killed in a fatal road traffic collision at 11.30am at Lavey on the main Dublin to Cavan road.
The dead man, who has not been named, was riding his motorcycle when it was in collision with a car.
The two occupants of the car were taken to Cavan General Hospital for treatment to their injuries which, though serious, were stated not to be life-threatening.
In another weekend crash, a 27-year-old Limerick man Barry Murphy, Charleville Road, Kilmallock, died when his car collided with a crane.
Mr Murphy, who was travelling from Cork towards Mallow, was fatally injured when his white Skoda Fabia burst into flames after crashing into a 70 tonne crane parked on the hard shoulder of the road shortly after 10pm on Friday.
Gardaí from Gurranebraher and Blarney attended as did emergency medical teams and units of the fire brigade from Mallow and Cork city who fought to bring the blaze under control.
Supt Con Cadogan appealed to anyone who may have seen a white Skoda Fabia travelling on the Cork-Mallow Road on Friday night to contact gardaí on 021-4395540.