TRIBUTES have been paid to a 26-year-old Mayo man who died after falling from a moving taxi in London at the weekend.
Padraig O’Dea, a respected and popular member of the Kingdom Kerry Gaels GAA club, sustained serious head injuries after falling onto the road in Harrow in the early hours of Sunday morning.
He was subsequently taken to a central London hospital but never regained consciousness.
His life support system was switched off around 8pm on Sunday night. His parents, who live in Mayo, had immediately flown over and were at his bedside when he died.
Kingdom Kerry Gaels Manager Noel Dunning described Mr O’Dea as “a lovely fellow”.
“He was from Kilmaine in Mayo and was with us for the last couple of years, playing wing forward,” he said. “He was a gentleman if ever there was one. It’s a tragic incident, and sadly Padraig has passed away.”
He added: “Padraig was held in high regard by everyone in the club; one of life's true gentlemen and characters he was a very dedicated member of the senior team panel for the past couple of years, winning the Senior Championship, Senior League and Conway Cup with us in 2013, which was a source of huge pride to him.”
The club also extended its sympathies to Mr O’Dea’s family.
Mr Dunning said: “To Padraig's Mum and Dad Gerry and Teresa, his brother Gearoid and his wider circle of family and friends, we extend our deepest sympathy at this sad time. Please remember them all in your prayers. Rest in Peace Padraig, from all your friends at KKG, you will be missed but always remembered."
According to Mr Dunning, Padraig had just begun work with contractors, the Buckingham Group, in the quantity surveying and engineering department.
Police are now appealing for information about the incident that led to Mr O’Dea’s death.
Officers were called by London Ambulance Service to Alexandra Avenue, at the junction with Clitheroe Avenue, shortly after 1am on Sunday morning, September 28.
When police arrived paramedics were already treating Mr O’Dea at the roadside.
The Metropolitan Police believe the Irishman was part of a group of men and women who were near a Renault Traffic taxi parked outside Dominos Pizza on Alexandra Avenue.
The taxi subsequently drove away southbound but after a short distance the driver realised the rear tailgate was open and a man was rolling on the road behind the vehicle.
The driver returned to the injured man but has not been arrested.
At this stage it is not known how Mr O’Dea came to be in the taxi, or the sequence of events leading up to his fall.
Officers are keen to make contact with the other members of the group who had left the scene by the time police arrived.
Detective Sergeant Chris Osborne, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “We know this man was with a group of what appeared to be friends or colleagues moments before he was injured. I would urge anyone with information to come forward so that we can establish the precise events.”
Anyone who has any information about the incident should call police on 020 8991 9555 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
