Tributes are being paid to the woman who died in a crash in Athlone town yesterday afternoon.
She has been named locally as Sr Bernard Lynch who was originally from Arigna in Co Roscommon.
She had spent over 50 years in Athlone serving as principal of a local national school from the early 70s up until her retirement 20 years later.
Following her retirement she remained actively involved in the Athlone community particularly in parish ministry in St Peter and Paul's parish.
Paying tribute last night, the parish posted on its Facebook page that she had touched the lives of scores of family in her time in the town and that a veil of sadness hung over the community upon hearing of her death.
The Mayor of Athlone Cllr Aengus O' Rourke says there's a palpable sense of sadness all over the area this morning at the death of someone who gave so much help to others over the years.
