Road-death boy buried in Limerick

The youngest victim of last weekend's carnage on Irish roads was laid to rest in Limerick this morning.

Hundreds of mourners packed the Church of the Holy Family in Southill for the funeral mass of 12-year-old Jonathan Grace.

The fifth-class student died after he was hit by a car near his home at Daly's Cross on the main Limerick-to-Dublin Road on Sunday night.

There were emotional scenes today as students from Castleconnell National School gathered to say farewell to their classmate, who had only started at the school a year ago.

The 12-year-old's classmates from his old school, Gaelscoil Saoirse in O'Malley Park, Southill, also attended yesterday's service.

Jonathan's simple white coffin was draped with a Manchester United rug during the funeral ceremony.

His heartbroken parents, Brendan and Susan, were joined by their two other sons and their daughter and were supported by family and friends.

Speaking during the homily, local parish priest Fr Thomas O'Carroll described Jonathan as a "kind, loving young boy".

"I did not know Jonathan that well but just used to see him on the road playing with his friends and pals at the top of O'Malley Park, but the people who knew him well tell me that he was a kind and loving garsún.

"He'd go to the shop for if you needed a message and he did what his mammy told him to do," said Fr O'Carroll.

Jonathan was laid to rest at Mount St Oliver Cemetery. Earlier this week, students at Castleconnell Primary school held a special prayer service for the Grace family, who have two other children attending the school.

Principal Dearbhla De Paor said everyone at Castleconnell Primary School had been shocked and saddened by Jonathan's death.

"Jonathan has been attending for the last year and has always integrated very well and has always been held in the highest regard by his peers and by by school staff.

"We offer our sincere and heartfelt condolences to his family," said Ms De Paor. Jonathan Grace was one of 10 people who lost their lives on Irish roads last weekend.