Flowers and toys mark fatal road crash

Flowers and a white teddy bear marked the scene of a crash which left a young boy dead and his mother seriously injured in Laois on Thursday night.

The boy was named locally yesterday as Ciaran Treacy, 4, from Portarlington. He had been travelling in a car with his mother Gillian and brother Sean, 7, when it collided with another car at Ballymorris, Portarlington, at around 8.40pm.

The two boys were taken to the Midland Regional Hospital at Portlaoise where Ciaran was later pronounced dead. Sean is understood to have suffered minor injuries.

Gillian, who is in her 30s, was cut from the car and taken to the Midland Regional Hospital at Tullamore where gardaí described her condition as serious but not life-threatening last night.

Gardaí arrested the 39-year-old driver and sole occupant of the second car at the scene. He was later released without charge.

Local Cllr Paul Mitchell (Ind) said the community has been left stunned and saddened by the tragedy.

Gillian and her husband Ronan run a filling station in Portarlington.

Mr Mitchell described the Treacys as “lovely, quiet, gentle people” and that “people just really have the height of sympathy for the family”.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick said “it’s a tragedy for the town”.

The road between Portarlington and Portlaoise was closed overnight as Garda Forensic Collision Investigators carried out an examination. It reopened at around 2pm and flowers, a white teddy, and an Easter bunny were left at the scene.

* Gardaí have appealed for witnesses. Contact Portarlington Garda Station on 057 8623112, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.