Teen killed in hit-and-run lost friend in tragedy

THE teenager killed in a hit-and-run at the weekend was involved in a similar tragedy four years ago when his friend was struck by a bus on the same road.

Conor Hickey, 14, died in hospital on Saturday night after he was struck by a car in Cabra in north inner city Dublin on Friday evening.

It emerged yesterday that Conor had been with his friend, Padraig McGillivray, aged 10 at the time, in May 2007 when Padraig, who was on his bicycle, was struck by a double-decker bus on the Fassaugh Road in Cabra.

Conor was understood to be going to a friend’s house at 5.40pm on Friday when he was struck by a silver car on the junction of St Eithne Road and Fassaugh Road.

Gardaí are now looking for the silver car and are understood to have further details as to the model of the vehicle.

The car may have had a spoiler.

Conor, who lived on nearby St Attracta Road in Cabra, was a member of Naomh Fionnbarra GAA Club in Cabra, where he played U14 hurling and football, and was also a member of the Phibsboro Boxing Club.

He had attended Gaelscoil Bharra in Cabra at primary level and was a second-year student at the local Coláiste Mhuire.

He died at Temple Street Children’s Hospital on Saturday night as a result of his injuries and yesterday his distraught parents John and Margaret and his sister Claire, 16, were being comforted by friends and family.

The scene of the accident was sealed off over the weekend as gardaí continued their examinations, with the Fassaugh Road closed yesterday between the Attractra Road junction and the roundabout on Fassaugh Avenue.

Conor’s sister plays camogie with Naomh Fionnbarra. Seamus McGrattan, who coaches the underage teams, said hundreds of members had started to visit the club to pay tribute to Conor.

Mr McGrattan said Conor had played an integral role in his team’s promotion from their league earlier this year.

“We just opened up the club and hundreds of kids are coming here all day, lighting candles and writing messages on the wall,” he said.

Gardaí have appealed for the driver or any witnesses to the incident to come forward but have not said what charges would be preferred in the case.

Friends of Conor had attended a Mass at 6pm on Saturday and huge numbers again turned out yesterday at the 12pm service. His friends and some of his former teachers held a memorial service for him close to the scene of the accident on Saturday.

Yesterday, local parish priest Fr Patrick Carroll said there had been “an outpouring of prayer and sympathy in the locality” for Conor, whom he said had a number of interests, from football to rollerblading, and had his days filled out with numerous pursuits.

“People thought the world of him,” said Fr Carroll. “People are devastated; It is a close-knit community here.”

The Garda appeal for information was read at Masses in the parish yesterday and prayers were said for Conor.

* Gardaí in Mountjoy have asked anyone with information to call 01 6668600.