Tributes flow for man who 'touched the hearts of everyone'

Tony Kelly was a popular young man. Typical of today's young people, he had vast numbers of friends, and through his Facebook page, kept contact with pals in his native Northern Ireland; around Mullingar - and further afield as well.He had almost 250 friends on his Facebook page, and by 11 a.m. Tuesday 133 people had joined a Facebook page set up to pay tribute to the man who was remembered by friends as kind-hearted, good fun, and the best friend one could hope for, "someone who touched the hearts of everyone who knew him", as one friend wrote on the tribute page.A former colleague who worked with Tony in Dunnes Stores in Mullingar remembers him as someone who was enthusiastic and full of life. He loved socialising, loved his style, and loved looking well."His hair always had to be just right, and he loved fashion, and he loved his car," she recalled. "He enjoyed nightclubbing; loved going out, meeting people."In Dunnes, he worked as a manager in the Grocery department, his previous retailing experience with Safeways (now Asda) in Strabane having helped him secure the job.His broad retailing experience also stood him in good stead when he decided to approach the Spar store in Mullingar's Dominick Street looking for work, and he was taken on there in September.Staff at the Spar shop didn't learn until half way through Monday that the person found dead at the apartment complex in Grove Street was their colleague, and their shock was immense. They were sent home after hearing the news of the tragedy.Yesterday, (Tuesday) Spar Manager Roy O'Connor paid tribute to his assistant manager whom he described as an "absolutely lovely fella"."Tony came to us last September and I believe that he had been working in Dunnes for many years before that."I just can't say anything bad about him and I don't think that anybody could," he said."He had just turned 31 in January and was a great person to work with. No-one had any problems with him at all. He was always friendly to everybody who came into the shop."All I can say is that we are all in total shock and the staff are very upset. I had to send some of them home when they heard the news.""A loss to the town," was how Joanne Killian, the owner of the Dominick Street eatery, "Pit Stop", described Tony's tragic and untimely death."Tony was the best: a lovelier person you could not meet," said Joanne who said that she is still in shock at the death of her friend."I got sick when I heard that it was Tony because I had seen the Garda cars and all the fuss and then I heard that something had happened at Grove Court and I thought 'God I must text Tony and see what is going on'. Then the girls came in and told me that he was dead. I just couldn't believe it."I had been out for a drink with him last Wednesday night. We had gone to Con's to watch the match. Tony was a big Man Utd fan and we used to have great banter about the football."I can't say enough about how kind he was. I don't think that anyone could have had an unkind word to say about him."Friends of Tony's phoned the Westmeath Examiner office on Tuesday morning to give their memories of Tony, with one distraught young woman ringing to say that she and a group of other close friends were all "totally in shock".Another couple, Serena and Bob said they were "always thinking of him".The comments were typical of those that have been left on Tony's tribute page on Facebook."Such a waste. Always so kind and full of craic and style", was one comment left. A former co-worker wrote: "Tony was the most down to earth manager I ever worked with." Another friend wrote: "He was always the gentleman, always a smile and hug for you. ony touched the hearts off everyone who knew him. I'm heartbroken at the loss of a great guy and privileged to have known him".