Tributes have been paid to a young man from Dublin who was killed in a traffic accident in the US.
Aniel Slattery, 23, of Rathgar in south Dublin, died Sunday after the car he was traveling in crashed in Hillsboro, Oregon.
Mr Slattery’s 24-year-old friend, from Crumlin, who was also in the car, is in critical condition.
Mr Slattery, the nephew of Irial Slattery, the owner of Slattery’s pub in Beggars Bush, had spent the past six years working part-time at the historic pub as a student.
Irial Slattery said: “Dan was magical. He was a gentle, very easygoing, thoughtful young man who will be sorely missed. Everyone is devastated – his parents, his sisters, the whole family. We are all shocked. ever shed so many tears.”
Daniel was held in such high regard by his uncle that in the fall of 2019, just before the pandemic, Irial nominated him to receive the Irish Hospitality Global Award on behalf of Slattery’s.
Slattery’s pub also posted a tribute on Facebook.
“It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Dan Slattery in a car accident in the early hours of last Sunday in the United States,” the statement read.
“Many of you will know Dan from working part-time behind the bar at Slattery’s for the past six years when he was a student.
“He was a very pleasant, friendly young man, who was always very nice.
“Daniel Slattery – son of Martin and Eilís; brother of Laoise, Ana, Maebh, Cate, Aoife and Nuala and cousin of Irial Slattery, owner of Slattery’s.
“Completely missed by his colleagues, friends and customers at Slattery’s. “Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”
A friend responded with “Thoughts and prayers” to Mr Slattery’s family. He added: “Dan went to De La Salle College Churchtown. He was a pleasure to deal with, a great student and an excellent rugby player… a very sad day.”
Another friend added that Mr Slattery was “a lovely, kind young man, taken way too soon.”
One woman added that it was “heartbreaking to take it in,” and that Mr. Slattery had been “a great guy.”
Another woman wrote that she hoped Mr Slattery’s “sweet soul rest in peace.”
One man simply added that Mr. Slattery had been “an absolute gentleman.”
Tragically, the car the two young men had traveled in had flipped over and set on fire.
The couple was thought to have worked in the US
Hillsboro Police spokesman Sgt Stewart Kelsey said Mr Slattery’s family is currently in town and will be taking his remains to Ireland.
Police responded to a report of a car that overturned on its roof shortly after 4:30 a.m. Sunday and caught fire on the outskirts of town.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation, he said.
“We are investigating various elements surrounding this incident, but those details are not being released due to the sensitivity of the accident. It will be several days before there is an update on the investigation into the accident,” he said.
He added that the Washington County Crash Analysis and Reconstruction Team (CART), which investigated the accident site, has now concluded its investigation. It is a team of law enforcement officers from the local police, the Sheriff’s Office and the Washington County District Attorney’s Office that investigates and reconstructs traffic accidents.
Details about Daniel Slattery’s funeral will be announced at a later date.