A RURAL Fermanagh community has been left reeling after a 57-year-old father-of-two was killed in a freak accident with chainsaw - just nine months after a similar tragedy in the area.
Derrygonnelly man Pat McIntyre was fatally injured at his home last Thursday. It is believed he had been working the property on the Knockmore Road when the accident happened.
Police and the Ambulance Service attended the scene and the Health and Safety Executive has said it is investigating.
On Monday hundreds of mourners packed St Joseph's Church, Cashel for Requiem Mass to pay their respects to the popular farmer who was described as "very well liked".
A Fermanagh GAA jersey, an Arsenal football top, and a bowls trophy brought for the Offertory, along with family photos, reflected his love of sport, friends said yesterday.
The latest tragedy comes nine months after the death of 47-year-old Damian McGovern in similar circumstances.
A long-standing member of Derrygonnelly Harps GAA club, the 47-year-old died on October 2 last year following an accident involving a saw as he worked at a house on the Shore Road in Enniskillen.
Independent councillor Bernice Swift described Mr McIntyre as a "very kind and hard-working man, who very much lived for his family" and was "very well-liked" in the community.
"It is a shocking tragedy and has impacted widely on the parish," she said recalling the impact of the similar tragedy last year.
Michael Skuce, chairman of the Derrygonnelly and Community District Partnership described Mr McIntyre's death as an "absolute tragedy".
"We're just deeply saddened and shocked to hear of the loss of Pat," he said
In the wake of the tragedy he urged anyone working with chainsaws to take every precaution.
"People just have to be very, very careful when they're out on their own. Farming is an industry with a high number of work fatalities and if anything can be done to prevent tragedies like this and reduce the risk we would like to see this happen. It's an unnecessary loss and such an unfortunate loss, " he added.
