The six-year-old girl who was killed while cycling near her home in Galway at the weekend has been named locally.
Ula Grigaityte, a senior infant pupil at Scoil Róis Primary School in Salthill, was killed after being hit by a lorry at the junction of Headford Road and Sandyvale Lawn.
In a statement on Monday, the girl’s school paid a tribute to her.
School principal Michele McCarra said: “This is a terrible tragedy for her family and our school community. We are deeply saddened by these events. Our sympathy and thoughts are with Ula’s family and friends.
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“Ula will be greatly missed by all who knew her. We have been in contact with her parents and we all understand their need for privacy at this difficult time.
“Offers of support are pouring in and are greatly appreciated. Our school has implemented our Critical Incident Management Plan.
“Psychologists from the National Educational Psychological Service have been with us all day supporting and advising staff in their efforts to assist their students at this time.
“Staff have been helping students to deal with the tragic event.”
Dozens of floral tributes have been left at the location where the collision occurred.
The young girl was on a bike next to her father, who was on foot, when the fatal incident occurred around midday on Saturday.
The truck driver was delivering oil in the adjacent Sandyvale Lawn housing estate when it turned off the Headford Road. The girl’s family live in the Brookdale housing estate nearby.
Some local residents living in the well-established estate who witnessed the incident ran to the aid of the girl, her father and the truck driver until emergency services arrived at the scene.
Mayor of the city of Galway and Fianna Fáil councillor Peter Keane described it as a “horrible, horrible tragedy; it’s an unspeakable tragedy”.
He said: “Any events I attended on Sunday I firstly asked people gathered to pray for her, her family, friends and community.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the little angel. There is a resilience in that community and they will come and rally around the family as any great people would do.”
Fine Gael councillor Shane Forde said: “My thoughts also go to the emergency services and gardaí who attended the scene. A tragedy like this immediately makes you want to give your child or children a hug. Locals will do anything they can to assist the family.”
The Brookdale housing estate is a 10-minute walk from University of Galway and many of the houses are rented out to students and families.
Fine Gael councillor Frank Fahy who lives close to where the collision happened said the community was in “deep shock” and “everyone just wants to do what they can for the family and all involved.”
Gardaí continue to appeal for camera footage, including dashcam, from anyone who was travelling in the area of the Headford Road (N84) between Coolough Road/Headford Road junction and the entrance to Tirellan Heights/Headford Road junction in Galway city between 11.45am and 12.15pm.
