The five young people who died Saturday's road crash near Dundalk have been named
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17 Nov 2025
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17 Nov 2025
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John Dooley from Kildare has passed away
The death has been announced of the Kildare man who was declared the winner of RTE's 2024 Super Garden last week.
Popular Castledermot local John Dooley is deeply regretted by his loving wife Liz as well as his brothers, sisters, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends.
Funeral arrangements will be released later for the Woodlands resident.
Under the watchful eyes of judges Kerrie Gardiner, Monica Alvarez, and Brian Burke, John was one of five designers who were given three weeks, and a budget of €15,000, to design and create spectacular gardens.
John's Super Garden was recreated at Bord Bia Bloom in the Phoenix Park over the June bank holiday weekend and thousands of visitors viewed it and talked to John.
Named 'Back to the Future', John's garden created a low-maintenance, sustainable, and bio diverse garden for Daija and her two daughters, Amanda and Amelia. John's design accommodated Daija's scoliosis and offered an easy-to-care-for space for the family to enjoy.
Originally from Latvia, Daija has been in Ireland for over 20 years, and says she is delighted to have someone to design a garden as she had started to do it but was unable to complete it due to her scoliosis.
The family asked for a dream space that would impress guests but remain low maintenance and easy to maintain.
John, a former farm manager with a lifelong passion for gardening, said that gardening was therapy for him, he loved to do gardens for people in his area and also took care of the church grounds.
The Kildare man said he has always wanted to apply for Super Garden, but he has never had the courage to take the leap. This year, his wife Elizabeth applied on his behalf without his knowledge and he is now certainly glad that she did.
Speaking on his win last week, John said: "It's more than a dream come true. I have dreamt about it, thought about it, I never would have had the courage to do it. I am so thrilled with Liz, if she had said to me, 'John I am going to put you forward for Super Garden', I would say ‘no way’, I wouldn't be up for it, I am glad she didn't say it to me now that we are here. For both of us it is absolutely magical."
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