A STUNNED community are this week mourning the death of Donal Joyce, originally from Loughill in West Limerick, who was killed in a tragic two car accident last week.
Mr Joyce (64) – known to all as ‘Donal’ – died in his adopted home of Hamilton, in Ontario, Canada, in a collision which is now the subject of a criminal investigation.
A former pupil and rugby player with St Munchin’s College, Mr Joyce graduated as a civil engineer from University College Cork and emigrated to pursue his career abroad.
His cousin, Liam Dillon, said the late Limerick man “loved his work and his home in Canada, but he came back to Ireland almost every year”.
“He really loved coming home and we all hoped when he eventually retired he would spend his final years here with us.
“This is a terrible shock for everyone, particularly his four sisters. For him to be taken like this when he was still working and loving life, it’s just shocking,” Mr Joyce’s council told the Limerick Post.
Hugely respected in his field of work, Mr Joyce was known as “a gentle, kind, intelligent Christian man and great company,” Liam Dillon said.
“I was lucky enough to have spent time with him last year. He loved the Toronto Bluejays baseball team, but he was a proud Limerick man and he followed the fortunes of the hurling team with great delight.”
Mr Joyce is survived by his sisters, Miriam, Trisha, Hilda and Helen, and a large extended family, as well as many friends both in Limerick and Canada.
His family are in the process of bringing him home for burial and hope to have arrangements posted in the coming days.
