Homecoming heartbreak as teen driver kills brother

A FAMILY homecoming ended in tragedy when a six-year-old boy died in his aunt’s garden after he was struck and killed by a car driven by his teenage sister.

The boy’s aunt was seriously injured in the accident and remained in hospital last night as relatives struggled to come to terms with the tragedy.

Schoolboy Sean Farrell was on holidays with his parents, John and Brigid Farrell, who emigrated to America some years ago.

The family were on the last day of their stay in Mr Farrell’s home town of Oldcastle, Co Meath, on Tuesday when the freak accident occurred.

The boy was visiting the home of Mr Farrell’s sister, Catherine Gildea, a few miles outside Oldcastle, and was playing on the lawn on one of the hottest days of the year.

His 15-year-old sister was sitting in a Toyota Avensis parked nearby and was trying to move the vehicle at 6.45pm when it suddenly bolted forward, striking her brother and Ms Gildea.

Sean was killed instantly and was pronounced dead at the scene by a local GP.

Ms Gildea, 36, was rushed to Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan, but was later transferred to Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda, where her condition was described as “serious but stable”.

Sean’s body was taken to Our Lady’s in Navan where a post mortem was carried out yesterday. Another relative received minor injuries and Sean’s distraught sister was treated for shock.

The accident has stunned the town of Oldcastle.

Ms Gildea and her husband Kevin had moved into their new hilltop home at Skerry Cross, Dromore, a few miles outside the town in recent years.

The Farrells had divided their time on holidays between there and the home of Mr Farrell’s elderly mother in Oldcastle.

They had gathered on Tuesday for a farewell party for their return to the US.

Oldcastle resident and county councillor, Michael Lynch, said the community was stunned by what had happened.

“I can’t tell you how shocked and saddened people are that such a terrible tragedy would happen to such a lovely family. It is hard to take in.”

Gardaí carried out an examination of the scene and the car and are preparing a report for the coroner, but are treating the incident as a tragic accident. Arrangements for the return home of the little boy’s body were being finalised last night.