Killeigh mourns late James Dillon

Hit-and-run victim James Dillon from Killeigh was remembered this week at a funeral Mass that one attendee described as the biggest he'd ever seen in the village. The 29-year-old father-of-two was pronounced dead at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore after being found with serious injuries on the road at Killeigh in the early hours of last Saturday morning, June 2. A man in his 50s was later arrested in connection with the fatal accident. He has since been released and a file on the matter has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Speaking to the Offaly Independent this week Killeigh National School principal Damian White described how James was a student in the first class he taught after arriving to teach in Killeigh in 1994. "James was in sixth class," Mr White said, adding that he was "a lovely lad to teach". Even when James left school Mr White said he was a pleasure to know socially and was well known in the area. "James was just a lovely young person, a very decent, nice human being at all stages," he described. A farmer who was also involved in the building trade, James was a key player for the local Killeigh Ramblers soccer team, which won Division 3 of the Combined Counties Football League this year. Prior to the accident that resulted in James' death he had earlier that evening attended a CCFL awards function in the Bridge House Hotel in Tullamore. James' body reposed at the house of his parents, Alo and Geraldine, last Sunday and Monday, before being removed for 11am Mass at St Patrick's Church in Killeigh and internment afterwards in Killeigh cemetery. According to Mr White the funeral was "very, very moving" and was attended by a "massive crowd". "It was one of the biggest I've even seen in Killeigh," he said. The eulogy given by Fr Stapleton told of a happy family man. James was married to Claudia and the couple have two young daughters Méabh and Caragh. Mr White said that between James and Claudia they had many relatives in the village of Killeigh. "It was a huge shock locally," he added. James leaves behind his wife Claudia, daughters Méabh and Caragh, parents Alo and Geraldine, sisters Alison and Joanne as well as extended family and friends.