Infant killed in Roscommon collision named

Gardaí believe the boy wandered from the house before being hit by an SUV type vehicle

A one-year-old child who was killed on Friday in a road traffic crash in Co Roscommon has been named as Brandon Thomas Byrne, from Dublin.

The child was struck by an SUV-type vehicle at about 9am in Ballinagare, a village located on the N5 between Frenchpark and Tulsk.

It is understood he had wandered on to the road after one of his parents lost sight of him briefly and was struck by a driver who lived in the local area. Gardaí are investigating the incident but no foul play is suspected.

The family were staying in a holiday home in the area at the time. They are from Clonsilla in Dublin.

READ MORE

Brandon was “the most beautiful little light and adorable son of Louise Kehir and Andrew Byrne and cherished grandson of James, Noelene and Fran,” according to a funeral notice.

The funeral will take place on Tuesday at the Church of St. Philip the Apostle in Mountview, Clonsilla followed by burial in Mulhuddart Cemetery.

Gardaí said the emergency services attended the scene just after 9am when the driver in the SUV “collided with a male infant”.

“The infant received treatment at the scene but was later pronounced deceased. His body was then taken to the mortuary at University Hospital Galway, where a postmortem will take place,” the Garda added.

The exact circumstances of how the driver in the vehicle struck the boy are under investigation. A technical examination of the scene by Garda forensic collision investigators has been completed and a family liaison officer has been appointed to support the deceased boy’s family.

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to come forward and have also asked that any road users with video footage recorded in the area around the time of the fatal crash, including dash cam, contact investigating gardaí and make the footage available. The investigation is being carried out by gardaí in Boyle station, who are contactable at (071) 966 4620.

Conor Gallagher

Conor Gallagher

Conor Gallagher is Crime and Security Correspondent of The Irish Times