Kilkenny boy dies in tractor accident on farm

An 11-year-old Kilkenny boy has died in an accident on a farm in the south of the county.

Richard Ryan, from Ballygorey, near the village of Mooncoin, died on Tuesday evening following the accident on a neighbour's farm.

He had gone to help with the potato harvest and is believed to have fallen from a harvester and been crushed by a tractor. He was taken to Waterford Regional Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Gardaí and the Health and Safety Authority are investigating the death. Richard was the 13th person to die on an Irish farm this year. He is the second child to be killed - a four-year-old girl died in Co Cork last month after being struck by a tractor.

The boy is survived by his parents, Paddy and Breda, and by his brother, Jackie (15), and sister Hannah (13).

Fr Eamonn O'Gorman, the parish priest of Mooncoin, said the community was "numbed by the news" which he called an absolute tragedy for both families whom he said are "lovely people".

Yesterday, Fr O'Gorman visited the two families.

He described Richard as an excellent pupil at school who had served as an altar boy in the local church.

The boy was considered to be a promising hurler.

Tom O'Hanlon, the chairman of the juvenile teams at the Mooncoin GAA club, said Richard had "inherited skills which had come down through the generations".

His great-grandfather, Billy Hennebry, won an All-Ireland medal with Kilkenny.

Mr O'Hanlon, a father of seven, trains the local young hurlers. He said Richard had started to play at the age of six.

The "handsome little chap who loved hurling" was so keen on the game that even when not playing he would help fill water bottles and carry hurleys for the older players, Mr O'Hanlon said.

Richard had trained in the field last Monday watched by his mother and was due to wear the number 13 jersey for the club's under-13 team in a match against Waterford's Ballygunner club this evening.

That game, and others involving the Mooncoin club, have been cancelled by the GAA as a mark of respect.

Richard was two months away from celebrating his 12th birthday in October.

His funeral will take place tomorrow after 10.30am Mass at St Kevin's Church, Carrigeen, Mooncoin.