The Managing Editor of The Mayo News Neill O’Neill has died suddenly, aged 36.
He was responsible for the management of the newspaper, which is published weekly from its base in Westport.
During his tenure, the paper won several international awards for design, layout and content.
Mr O'Neill was a popular figure in the town and was involved in several aspects of life there.
He played a significant role in Westport Chamber of Commerce and was instrumental in a campaign to ensure that the tourist attraction, Westport House, remained in local ownership.
He was also centrally involved in the first series of the RTÉ Television programme, 'The Local Eye'. The six part series examined a number of local newspapers, including The Mayo News.
Mr O'Neill took ill at his home this morning and died a short time later. He had been working on this week's edition of the newspaper until late yesterday evening.
Colleagues at The Mayo News are said to be devastated by his passing.
A post-mortem examination will be carried out at Mayo University Hospital to determine the exact cause of death.
Mr O'Neill is survived by his partner, his parents and four siblings.
