Communion girl, 8, dies in bouncy castle

AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Waterford girl has died after she was thrown from a bouncy castle that had been struck by a gust of wind.

The accident happened at a house in the Coolnasmear area of Co Waterford, just hours after Amy Byrne celebrated her First Communion on Saturday.

The schoolgirl, who sustained head injuries, was rushed to Waterford Regional Hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later.

A Garda investigation was launched but officers confirmed they were treating it as a tragic accident.

Nobody else was injured in the incident.

Amy’s parents, Paul and Lorraine, were due to bring her body back to the family home last night and her funeral is expected to take place tomorrow.

It is understood that Mr Byrne, a local farmer, and his wife who works in the nearby GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) plant in Dungarvan, had bought their daughter the bouncy castle recently for the celebration.

The little girl was among 15 children who made their communion at St Gobnait’s Church in Kilgobinet.

Yesterday, parish priest Fr Michael Kennedy, who gave Amy her First Communion, said the schoolgirl had carried a gift to the altar just hours before her death.

“Amy was the most beautiful little child,” he said. “She was a lovely, sweet child. She was such a nice child and never caused one bit of trouble. She was a little role model.”

Fr Kennedy described her communion as a day made in heaven.

“We had a great day, it was lovely, it was so happy,” he said.

“All the little girls and boys were excited. There is nothing like a First Communion for them.”

Fr Kennedy said everyone in the close-knit community is in shock.

Her devastated teachers from Coolnasmear National School, school friends and their parents attended a special Mass in her memory yesterday morning.

“It’s terrible,” he said. “The whole place, everyone, we are all in shock. We are all praying.”

Neighbours and cousin to the Byrne family, John and Mary Byrne said they were still in shock.

Mary Byrne said: “It’s just unbelievable. It’s awful to see this happen to them.”

Superintendent Tom O’Grady said gardaí were treating the investigation as “humanely as possible” and described the incident as “a tragic accident”.

Local Fine Gael TD Paudie Coffey said: “There’s no explanation, when a freak accident like this happens. It is such a sad loss on such a special day. My own daughter is making her communion in a couple of weeks so this is very much on my mind. The thoughts and prayers of the whole constituency are with the family.”