Principal: School ‘utterly devastated’ by death of quad bike victim Ultan

The principal at the school where 8-year-old Ultan Hayes attended has said pupils and staff are “utterly devastated” by the young boy’s death.

Ultan died on Friday at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, Dublin, after he sustained critical injuries while riding as a passenger on his father Brian’s new quad bike.

Mr Hayes, a farmer, who was driving the quad bike on a country road a short distance from the family home near Whitegate, Co Clare, sustained non-life threatening injuries when the bike hit a stone wall just after 9pm on Thursday.

Jim Collins, teaching principal of three-teacher Mountshannon National School, said: “Everyone at the school along with children’s parents are utterly devastated by the tragic event that has taken place.”

Mr Collins taught Ultan in the school’s eight-strong second class and knew the boy since he started as a junior infant.

“Ultan was a fresh-faced, little eight-year-old boy. He was full of life, full of ideas and the joys of everything.”

Mr Collins said that Ultan was a very good hurler, had represented the school at cross country and “was getting good at it”, while he also enjoyed ballet. Mr Collins remarked: “It was an unusual combination.”

Ultan made his first confession hours before the tragic accident on Thursday in preparation for his First Communion next month.

Mr Collins said that First Communion at the school will be “very poignant”.

“But no one is even thinking about that at the moment. It will be a happy event, but will be very sad as well.”

Ultan was taught in the combined second, third, and fourth classes along with his elder brother, Oisín. Their sister, Alannah — the eldest of the four children — also attends the school. The youngest, Donnacha has yet to enter the school.

Ultan’s funeral mass will take place tomorrow morning.