A TEN YEAR old Shannon boy has been moved by ambulance to Temple Street Hospital where he is in a critical condition.
On Sunday afternoon, shortly after 2pm, the young boy was knocked down by a car in Cluain Airne.
Family sources have confirmed to The Clare Echo that the boy has been moved by ambulance from University Hospital Limerick to Temple Street Hospital in Dublin shortly before 9pm but remains in a critical condition.
He is on life support and in a critical condition.
Emergency services were contacted by a local resident who witnessed the boy getting hit by the vehicle. A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána confirmed that an “incident occurred in the Purcell Park area and involved a car and a male juvenile child”.
An air ambulance was needed to transport the boy from the field on the grounds of St Patrick’s Comprehensive to University Hospital Limerick (UHL) where his condition was critical.
Medics in UHL attempted to treat the boy after he sustained what were described as serious injuries devastating news reached Shannon Town on Sunday evening before 7pm that the boy had died.
Traffic has not been allowed access to Cluain Airne since the accident, this is to remain closed until Monday to allow a technical examination by Garda Forensic Collision investigators. The entrance to Purcell Park remains closed to traffic with local diversions in place.
Local residents have for many years been campaigning for measures to be enacted to slow the down drivers in the area and have been vocal in highlighting the dangers along the stretch of road.
At the last meeting of the Shannon Municipal District, county councillors had sanctioned proposed traffic calming works for the vicinity in where the accident occurred.
In August 2017, Shannon Town was one of just three areas in the country selected to pioneer new traffic calming measures under the EU Cross-Border Exchange Directive. This resulted in the narrowing of the road, installation of on-street parking, signs and lines. €60,000 was allocated for the works in Bóthar na Rinne which provides access to 350 homes in the Tradaree Court and Cluain Airne estates, St Patrick’s Comprehensive secondary school and Shannon Hibs FC.
Elected representatives in Shannon Town including Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF), Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) and the late Cllr Mike McKee (SF) are among those in the past who have lobbied for the addition of further speed controlling measures in the area.
At the September meeting of the Shannon MD, proposed traffic calming works were debatad for Cluain Airne and Tradaree Court in Shannon with plans drawn up by engineers in the local authority.
Speaking at that meeting, Cllr Flynn said an additional speed cushion before the bend on the road and a solid white line from the roundabout at Bóthar na Rinne had been requested by residents. He said he would not support the scheme if the measures were not included. “A number of people have said I’m holding it up, I’m not, I want to get it right,” he stated.
Senior executive engineer in the Shannon MD, Tom Mellett committed to progressing a separate Section 38 notice to incorporate those changes. He advised that a Section 38 could be presented at a later meeting, which it was last month.
At this sitting in January, Cllr Flynn thanked the senior engineer for the “additional bit of work in relation to trying to create a better plan than what was produced the first time”. He believed the planned additional speed cushion by Shannon Hib was to be welcomed, “I hope it proceeds as soon as possible”. He proposed the works which were seconded by Cllr McGettigan.
