Tears for the tragic death of a ‘gentle, caring, fun-loving’ girl

CHILDREN wept in a school yesterday for the little friend tragically taken from them in a freak accident.

Six-year-old Paige Corcoran from Springfort Meadow, Nenagh, was badly injured when she was accidentally hit on the head by a metal golf putter. She was playing on an open green area near her cousin’s home at Carrig Rua on the outskirts of the town with her only sister and a younger cousin. The accident happened at about midday.

After being rushed to the local general hospital, Paige was later transferred to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick where she was put on a life support machine.

Her heartbroken parents, PJ and Pearl, were at her bedside when she passed away on Monday night.

Many neighbours and friends called to the family home yesterday where Paige was waked in a white coffin. One friend said: “To see her little body there lifeless is heart-breaking.”

Her remains will be moved to St Mary’s Church this morning for Mass of the Angels at noon. Her school friends at St Mary’s Convent Primary School where she was in first class yesterday lit hundreds of candles.

Principal Noreen Spain said: “We can’t begin to imagine what Paige’s family are going through. We offer our sincere sympathy and support to them at this very difficult time. Paige was a gentle, caring, fun-loving girl. She was extremely popular with her classmates.”

She said Paige’s personality was reflected in her approach to everything she did during her young life. Ms Spain said: “Paige was full of enthusiasm and everything was, in her words, brilliant.”

Professional counsellors have been made available to help children with the tragedy.

Local parish priest, Fr Tom Seymour, said: “It doesn’t bear thinking about. All the children are so young and then this tragedy has to be explained to them.”