A Galway area has lost an "absolute icon" and "life of the village" after an elderly bachelor was fatally pinned by a tractor on his farm.
Well-known Gort resident John Hansberry was killed on Tuesday after a freak accident on his nearby farm in the rural village of Kilbeacanty.
Galway Beo understands he had been doing maintenance work on his land at around 7pm when he was suddenly trapped by the tractor he had been driving.
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The farmer, who was in his 60s, was a well-known character in the Gort area and would have been known as a 'happy-go-lucky" and "well respected" man who was hoping to see his beloved Galway lift Sam Maguire in two weeks time.
A former member of Galway County Council, John had recently retired and was enjoying free time socialising and supporting Kilbeacanty GAA, his local club.
Councillor for Gort, PJ Murphy told Galway Beo the news has come as a "massive shock" to the small south Galway community.
He told this publication that John was an "absolute icon in the community" and that "nobody had a bad word to say about him" adding "John and his brother were well-respected men".
Fellow Gort councillor Gerry Finnerty echoed those words saying that John was heavily involved in the life of the Kilbeacanty community and in the wider south Galway area.
He told Galway Beo: "He was a great guy and known by everybody. He was very witty, and was very much known as the life of the village and a big part of the community.
"Quite frankly he was one of the finest gentlemen who ever came out of the parish. It's devastating that he was taken so soon in such sad circumstances."
He added that as a big GAA fan and a regular at Croke Park, John would have been "in his element" getting ready to watch Galway in the All-Ireland final.
John's body was removed to University Hospital Galway from the scene where a post-mortem will be conducted and The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) have been notified.
A gardai spokesman told Galway Beo: "Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of a fatal workplace accident that occurred on Tuesday, the 12th of July 2022 in the Derreen area of Gort, Co Galway.
"At approximately 7:10pm, the body of a man aged in his sixties was located on a farm in the area.
"The body of the man was removed from the scene to University Hospital Galway where a post-mortem will take place at a later date.
"The Health & Safety Authority (HSA) have been notified and will conduct an investigation of their own."
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