The Salthill pilot who died when his light aircraft crashed into a field on Sunday week in Co. Mayo was in the process of giving a colleague a lift home.

The hundreds of mourners who attended the funeral mass in Galway on Friday were told that it was typical of the generosity of Markus Casey.

Mr Casey (51), from Dr Mannix Road in Salthill, was killed instantly when his Beech 77 two-seater aircraft plummeted into a field near Kilmovee, Co Mayo.

He had been trying to return to Knock Airport when the aircraft developed engine trouble. Prayers were offered at his funeral mass at the Jesuit Church for his passenger John Dunphy, a senior engineer with Wicklow County Council, who is recovering from serious injuries at Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar.

Fr John Humphreys said that Mr Casey had managed to intertwine his hobby of flying with his work as an architect and archaeologist.

He had recently started a light aircraft maintenance business with two partners at Knock Airport, and Fr Humphreys said friends had remarked how well everything seemed to be going for him.

Into this mix of hobby and work was a great wit and sense of humour. His battered old archaeology jeep had a slogan 'Iron Age Specialist - no site too old'.

Mr Casey, who is survived by his son Tim, mother Erika, sisters Margaret and Brigitte and brother Timo, and extended family members, was a former Secretary of Galway Flying Club, who formed a Guard of Honour as the cortege left the church for Rahoon Cemetery.

Conal Stafford of Galway Flying Club said they were deeply saddened by the death of Markus Casey and that he had been a wonderful member.

Mr Stafford recounted how Mr Casey had bought a light aircraft in Memphis, which he flew home to Shannon via Newfoundland. He immediately registered the aircraft in Ireland with the memorable signature, Ei-ei-o!

Mr Casey was also an architect who had carried out extensive work on behalf of local authorities, in particular, in the West.

Comments (0) »

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Title

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment