Three killed, including toddler after weekend of road deaths

A TODDLER, a young woman and a man in his 60s were killed in three separate road accidents over the weekend - one just a few yards from where the Navan bus tragedy occurred.

Gardaí refused to speculate last night on whether the road surface was responsible for a crash in Navan on Saturday afternoon in which a woman in her 20s was killed.

The collision in Mooretown was just a few hundred yards from where five teenage school girls lost their lives in the State’s worst school bus crash on May 23.

A car and a motorcycle were in collision just after 4pm on Saturday.

A male and female on board the motorcycle were seriously injured.

Both were taken to Navan hospital where the female, who was in her 20s, later died.

The occupants of the car were not seriously injured.

A garda spokesperson said an examination of the road surface would form part of the investigation.

In Tipperary, three-year-old James Lahart was killed after he was struck by a truck just after 3.30pm on Saturday.

It is believed he rambled onto the road outside his cousin’s home on the Cashel side of Dualla village.

He was rushed to hospital in Cashel but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The truck remained at the scene of the tragedy yesterday.

Gardaí in Thurles said they have spoken to the truck driver and have received his full co-operation.

They appealed to people who travelled the road between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on Saturday to contact them.

The little boy’s remains were removed from his home to the local parish church in Dualla last night.

He will be buried after 11.30am Mass of the Angels today in the adjoining cemetery.

Local FG TD, Tom Hayes said the tragedy has hit the community very hard.

“I would like to express my sincere sympathy to the family in the wake of this tragic accident,” he said.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Galway launched an investigation yesterday into a fatal hit and run accident. They also appealed for the driver to come forward.

A man in his 60s died after a collision at Attymon More, on the Athenry to Loughrea road in the early hours of yesterday morning.

It is believed the incident happened at around 2.30am, 150 metres from the White House Pub.

The local man’s body was discovered at 6.30am by a man delivering newspapers. Gardaí also appealed for witnesses to contact Galway gardaí on 091-538000.