Tributes have been paid this week to Barry McGrath, the Claregalway man who lost his life in a hit and run accident in San Francisco at the weekend.
Mr McGrath, who was from Cregmore, was a passenger in an Uber vehicle which was involved in a collision with a stolen car in the city’s Outer Sunset District last Saturday evening. The driver of the stolen vehicle left the scene of the accident, and police in San Francisco are investigating.
Mr McGrath was taken to hospital following the crash, where he died of his injuries.
Mr McGrath, 38, had made his home in San Francisco’s Bay Area and was very involved with the local Irish community and GAA clubs. He served as chairperson and treasurer of San Francisco GAA and played for local team St Joseph’s Hurling Club in Silicon Valley.
GAA clubs in both San Francisco and Galway paid tribute to Mr McGrath following his passing.
“Barry was always there for anyone as a friend, always the first person to volunteer to help the club, and was heavily involved in the San Francisco GAA community,” St Joseph’s Hurling Club, where he had just been appointed as chairman, said on Facebook. “We would like to extend our deepest condolences to Barry’s family and are offering our support in any way possible.”
San Francisco GAA described Mr McGrath as “a highly regarded member of the Bay Area Irish community”.
“We ask you to keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers,” the club added.
Mr McGrath also hurled with Turloughmore GAA before his move to San Francisco, and the club paid tribute to him this week.
“It was with great shock that we learnt of his passing in San Francisco,” it said in a Facebook post this week. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.”
A funeral Mass will be held for Barry McGrath in San Francisco this evening (Thursday ), and his body will be repatriated for a funeral and burial in Co Galway early next week.
