Boy (13) killed when car hit ditch in early hours was alone in the vehicle
A BOY who was killed in a road crash on Clare Island off the coast of Co Mayo in the early hours of yesterday was just 13 years old.
The boy, named locally as Morgan Pinder, was the only occupant of the car that crashed into a ditch in an area known as the Quay about 1am.
A Garda investigation into the crash is under way.
It is not known at this stage how the youngster came to be in the vehicle.
One shocked resident said: “The August bank holiday weekend is normally one of the happiest and busiest times of the year for us.
Sadness
“Now all we are thinking of is the pain of the bereaved family and the sadness of the funeral that is to come.”
Morgan was the youngest son of Tom and Maureen Pinder from Clare Island, and brother to Christian, Dylan, and Jack.
The emergency services were contacted after the crash, but Morgan was pronounced dead at the scene.
The stretch of road where the tragedy occurred was closed to facilitate a technical examination by Garda crash investigators.
As his heartbroken family and the tight-knit local community come together in grief, Morgan’s body will today lie in repose at the family home in Gurteen, Co Sligo, close to the crash scene.
His funeral Mass will be held tomorrow at 1pm in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Clare Island, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.
An investigation is under way and gardaí are appealing for witnesses to contact Westport garda station on 098-50230, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
It comes just two months after a 14-year-old schoolboy was killed while driving a vehicle in Co Donegal.
Jamie Doherty was the sole occupant of the vehicle in the crash that occurred in Redcastle in the far north of the county, on June 8.
Last week, An Garda Síochána urged road users to be extra cautious as the August bank holiday has previously seen a spike in road deaths.
On Thursday, a 70-year-old man was fatally injured when his car was involved in a collision with a truck in Galway.
A total of 89 people have died in crashes so far in 2018. This is down six compared to the same period last year.
Motorcyclists
The main emphasis of the latest road safety appeal from An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority was for motorcyclists, one of the most vulnerable road users in the event of a collision.
To date in 2018, seven motorcyclists have been killed on the roads. Sunday is the most dangerous day for motorcyclist fatalities, with five of the seven deaths occurring on that day of the week.
While most motorcycle riders are aware of their vulnerability when biking and the majority are safety conscious, there is a worrying minority that takes unnecessary risks, a Garda spokesman said.