Three killed on Ireland’s roads over Easter: Young child struck by car in Co Westmeath celebrated fourth birthday over weekend

The child has been named locally as Abdur Rehman.

The four-year-old boy, a teenager and a young man in his 20s were all killed on Ireland’s roads over the Easter bank holiday weekend.

The fatal accident involving Abdur Rehman happened in an estate in Farranshock Estate, Mullingar, Co Westmeath shortly after 6.30pm on Monday

He was treated at the scene before being taken by ambulance to Mullingar Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

On Tuesday morning, garda forensic collision investigators towed away the car suspected to have been involved in the road accident.

That move is part of an extensive garda investigation which is now underway in a bid to establish both the cause and circumstances surrounding yesterday evening’s tragedy.

A garda cordon has since been lifted with gardaí remaining anxious to speak to any road users or pedestrians who may been in the area at the time of the incident.

They are particularly keen to get any camera footage, including dash-cam recordings from cars that may have been travelling in and out of the estate.

Locals have spoken of their devastation at the loss of the four-year-old boy who died just yards from his front door.

Friends of the little boy’s family, Faheem Khan and Navid Iqbal fought back tears as they revealed how the youngster had only celebrated his fourth birthday over the Easter bank holiday weekend.

“He had his birthday party on Saturday and there are just no words,” said a tearful Mr Iqbal.

“It is hard for the family and we have just got to support them,” added an equally despondent Mr Khan.

“The community has been so supportive, it’s a loss for everyone and it’s just heartbreaking. It’s really hard to put words together.”

It is understood the little boy’s parents had only recently celebrated the birth of their second child.

Both originally hail from Pakistan, but have resided in Ireland for a number of years.

In the wake of yesterday’s tragedy, locals have been struggling to sum up the emotional enormity surrounding yesterday’s tragedy.

One local woman who wished to remain anonymous told of how ran to the little boy’s aid seconds after her own son rushed through the door in a state of panic.

“My little fella came in and said there was a little boy after being hit and I just ran over and tried to help him,” she said.

Another neighbour, Baiba Burina, who lives just across the road from the scene of the incident struggled for composure as she spoke to the Irish Independent of her own shock at the events of less than 24 hours earlier.

“It’s horrible and I keep thinking he was only four and my son is 10,” she said.

“I was crying all the time yesterday over what happened.”

A fellow resident and mother of two who lives just a couple of doors down, said her own daughter had been left deeply impacted at witnessing the arrival of emergency services in the estate yesterday evening.

“I am a mum too and my daughter who is six saw this and started crying. She kept asking me how is the boy, it’s just so, so sad.”

Westmeath County Council Leas Cathaoirleach Cllr Mick Dollard said neighbours and those living locally had been left “traumatised” by the events of yesterday evening.

“I can tell you from emails I have received already this morning people are traumatised by it quite frankly,” he said.

“When something like this happens, people immediately think about their children and their grandchildren.”

Those sentiments were endorsed by Fine Gael Cllr Andrew Duncan who said locals living on the estate were still attempting to come to terms with the news.

“It’s just a very unfortunate and tragic situation for everybody involved,” he told the Irish Independent.

In a separate incident, a motorcyclist, aged in his 20s, died in Co Limerick after a collision between a motorcycle and a car.

The incident took place in Ardagh village at the intersection of the R521 and R523. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was removed to University Hospital Limerick where a postmortem will take place.

The male driver of the car was brought to University Hospital Kerry for treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

Today’s News in 90 Seconds – April 22nd

The intersection where the incident occurred remained closed overnight ahead of a technical examination to be carried out by gardaí on Tuesday morning.

While in Dublin, the mother of an 18-year-old who was killed in a motorbike crash in Dublin on Sunday evening says her “heart is shattered into a million bits”.

Jason Monks died when the scrambler motorbike he was riding collided with a car on Citywest Avenue in west Dublin. It happened at around 8pm, not far from his home.

Family members have been paying tribute to the young father-of-one, and a GoFundMe page has been set up for his family.

His grieving mother Donna wrote on Facebook: “Oh Lord, please let this be a big bad dream. That big strong boy was my baby. There was nothing in this world he wouldn’t do for his mammy. My heart is shattered into a million bits. I can’t cope. Why my handsome young man? Why?

“My beautiful baby boy. How is my life ever going to be the same ever again? Eighteen years of loving you, the best 18 years of my life. I will love you always, my beautiful boy.”

Mr Monks’s partner Shannon shared a photograph of him holding their baby daughter and wrote: “Wish this was all a bad dream.”

Shannon’s grandfather Mark posted pictures of Mr Monks and said: “Our granddaughter Shannon lost her partner and our great granddaughter lost her Dad, Jason Monks, last night. We are heartbroken for them and Jason’s family.

“A lovely young man with the biggest heart, and a smile and laugh that would cheer you up in the worst of days. A person who would do anything to help anyone who needed it.

“We are heartbroken but also smiling when we see the things people have up in Facebook and videos which will help in the coming time. We are all going to miss you. RIP our friend, our family. Keep an eye on us all from up there.”

A friend wrote that Mr Monks was “one of a kind and would do anything for anyone, from fixing bikes and lawnmowers, cutting grass or any jobs that needed to be done. He would help anyone.”

Another friend, Maria, has opened a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

“At approximately 8pm gardaí and emergency services responded to a collision involving a car and a scrambler motorbike on Citywest Avenue, Dublin 24,” the force said in a statement.

“The driver of the scrambler, an adult male aged in his late teens, was taken to Tallaght Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.”

A post-mortem examination will take place in due course, gardaí said.

Garda Forensic Collision Investigators examined the scene and the road has since been reopened.

“Any road users who may have camera footage [including dash-cam] and were travelling in the area between 7.45pm and 8.15pm are asked to make this footage available,” gardaí said.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Tallaght garda station on (01) 6666000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.”

A number of people were seriously injured on the roads over the weekend too.

A man, aged in his 30s, suffered serious injuries following a collision involving a car and a motorcycle in Co Kilkenny on Sunday.

The incident took place around 12.40pm on Sunday afternoon on the R448 at Knockwilliam.

The motorcyclist involved in the collision, a man in his 30s, was taken to the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, where he remains in serious condition.

No injuries were reported as a result of the collision.

Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward.

Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area at the time are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardaí.

Meanwhile, in Co Sligo, a nine-year-old boy, a three-year-old girl and two women were seriously injured in a crash on Monday.

Gardaí were called to the scene of the collision in Co Sligo on Monday between two cars on the N59 in Ballysadare in Sligo around 2.30pm.

Two women, one aged in her 40s and the other in her 20s, and the two children were brought to Sligo University Hospital with serious injuries.

The driver and sole occupant of the second car, a woman in her 50s, was brought to the hospital for assessment.

Local diversions are in place while gardaí carry out an examination of the scene.