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Irish Examiner 19 - 7 - 1999

GARDAI´ have questioned a man following the death of a young cyclist in a hit and run accident in the early hours of Saturday morning. The man, believed to be in the his late teens and from Killarney, was questioned by Kerry gardaí in connection with the death of 14 year old Leon McSharry. The man was later released and a file in now being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecution. Leon McSharry died instantly when he was struck by a car as he cycled home along the busy Park Road shortly before 1 a.m. on Saturday morning. His bike was hit from behind on upper Park Road, less than a mile from his home in Ballyspillane, a sprawling housing estate on the outskirts of Killarney. The teenager's body was taken to Tralee General Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The driver abandoned his car at the scene and fled on foot. He was later arrested by gardaí and taken to Killarney Garda Station for questioning. His car was also taken to the station for forensic examination. A garda spokesperson said: "At this stage we are trying to piece together exactly what happened on the night in question and we would ask anyone who may have been on the Park Road or witnessed the accident to contact the local station. "The teenager appears to have been hit from behind by the car which was heading in the same direction along the Park Road. Local parish priest Fr. George Haze said the local community is still coming to terms with this terrible loss. "It is a terrible tragedy and the local community is in shock at the loss of another young life. There was a overwhelming sense of sadness in Killarney during Sunday services and parishioners laid flowers at the scene of the accident and lit candles for the dead boy's family

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Irish Examiner 20 - 7 - 1999

THERE were heart rending scenes yesterday as the young victim of a traffic accident was laid to rest. Friends of Leon McSharry, 14, of Ballyspillane, Killarney, Co. Kerry, wept bitterly and his team mates in Killarney Cycling Club formed a guard of honour as the coffin was taken from St Mary's Cathedral, Killarney. Leon died after being struck by a car while cycling at Park Road, Killarney, in the early hours of Saturday. A local man was later arrested in connection with the accident and gardai are preparing a file for the DPP. The cathedral, meanwhile, was full for the funeral Mass which was celebrated by Fr Michael Fleming, Administrator, Killarney. Fr Fleming said the entire community was numbed by the loss of such a young life and he asked for prayers for the bereaved family. Killarney Community College principal, Eamon Fitzgerald, and some of Leon's classmates were among the readers at the Mass. The burial took place in Aghadoe cemetery