A 10-year-old boy has become the latest person to die on Irish roads since the start of the year.
Dylan Coady Coleman, who was seriously injured when he was struck by a van in Co Clare last weekend, died in hospital in Dublin on Wednesday.
He died just one day after his mother, Laura, gave birth to a little boy, Shane.
Dylan is the 36th person, and the sixth pedestrian, to die on Irish roads since January 1st.
In a tribute on social media, his school remembered their much-loved fourth-class pupil.
“His gorgeous smile and kind heart endeared him to everyone in our school community. He will be greatly missed,” St Tola's National School said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his mum Laura, dad Garry, little sister Zoe and new baby brother Shane.
“We are also thinking of his grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, his extended family and his wide circle of friends, especially those here in St Tola’s.”
Shannon's co-parish priest, Fr Tom Whelan, said there was a “palpable sense of sadness” in the area following the news.
He said everybody was worried about Dylan’s family.
“There is a palpable sadness all around the place and you can just feel the sadness around the place. The heads are bowed. People cannot believe it. It's a tragedy beyond tragedies.”
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Fr Whelan said both of Dylan’s parents grew up in Shannon. It was a very close community where people were trying to do what they could to support the family.
“One of the things they're telling me is 'we don't know what to say'. They cannot actually believe it. It's almost like living in a mirage. They don't know what to do.”
Dylan was struck by a van at Purcell Park in Shannon town shortly after 2pm on Sunday.
He was airlifted to University Hospital Limerick with serious injuries but was later transferred to Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street, where despite the best efforts of the medical teams, he died on Wednesday morning.
Gardaí investigating his death arrested a man in his 20s on Monday for questioning about the road traffic incident. He was released later without charge.
Gardaí said their investigation is ongoing. They have renewed their appeal for witnesses to the incident to come forward.
Any road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) who were traveling in the Purcell Park area between 1.45pm and 2.30pm on Sunday afternoon are asked to provide this footage to gardaí at Shannon on tel: 061-365900.
