An eight-year-old Co Monaghan boy, Kevin Meehan, was killed yesterday outside his home after he was dragged along the road by a school bus. The accident occurred at about 5 p.m. when the boy was being dropped home from school to a laneway leading to his home at Lattylannigan, three miles from Carrickmacross, on the Ballybay Road.
As he stepped off, a cord on his anorak became entangled in the door of the privately-owned bus. The bus drove off without noticing, dragging the boy for 170 feet before stopping.
The boy, a pupil at Lisdoonan National School, was taken to Louth County Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Gardai in Carrickmacross are investigating the fatality, which was one of nine to take place on Irish roads since the weekend. A total of 302 people have died in road traffic accidents so far this year, compared to 308 for the same period in 1997.
The latest victim was an elderly pedestrian who was killed at Folkscourt in Johnstown, Co Kilkenny at 9.30 p.m. yesterday. He was struck by a van travelling south-bound on the N8, the main Dublin/Cork Road, and died at the scene.
Seven other men have been killed in road tragedies this week, among them Mr Darren O'Connor, the youngest son of Ryder Cup golfing hero, Christy O'Connor jnr. He was 18, as were four other victims.
Mr O'Connor, of Kilcolgan, Co Galway, Mr David Quinn (18), eine, Salthill, Co Galway, and Mr Michael Hynes (52), of Milltown Malbay, Co Clare, died at 7 p.m. on Monday when the BMW car driven by Mr O'Connor was in a head-on collision with an Isuzu Trooper jeep driven by Mr Hynes. The accident happened in bad weather conditions on the main Galway to Limerick road, on a straight stretch of road.
On Sunday four young men died, including Mr Martin Beckett (18), a member of this year's victorious Kerry All-Ireland under-21 football team.
Mr Beckett was returning home from a holiday in Ibiza. He, Mr Sean O'Connor (18) and Mr Tadgh Kelly (19), all from Killarney, were in a Daihatsu Charade car that crashed with a Toyota Carina at Clonalee on a straight stretch of road near Toomevara in Co Tipperary.
Mr Beckett and Mr O'Connor were killed, as was the driver of the Carina, Mr Gerard Phelan (28), of Eirk, Crosspatrick, Co Kilkenny.
Also on Sunday Mr James Bridgeman (18), from O'Malley Park in Limerick, died when the car he was driving overturned and hit a ditch at Herbertstown, Co Limerick, about 1.30 p.m.
Thousands of mourners queued for hours in heavy rain in Killarney last night for the removals of young sports stars and lifelong friends, Mr Martin Beckett (18) and Mr Sean O'Connor (18).
Mr Beckett played with local football team, Dr Croke's, while Mr O'Connor played for rival club, Legion. Both were also well-known soccer players with Killarney Athletic Soccer Club.
The attendance at the removal included the chairman of the Munster Council of the GAA, Mr Sean Kelly and the Kerry County Board chairman, Mr Sean Walsh.
The two are to be buried in adjoining family plots in Aghadoe Cemetery following Requiem Mass at 10.30 a.m. in St Mary's Cathedral today.