A toddler has been killed after being struck by a vehicle in West Cork.
The horrifying incident took place at around 5pm on Tuesday just outside Skibbereen at Tralispeen.
Gardaí, ambulances and the fire brigade all rushed to the scene.
The toddler was transferred by ambulance to Cork University Hospital (CUH) but he sadly passed away shortly afterwards.
Curate of Skibbereen parish Fr Evin O’Brien said news of the tragedy was only filtering through the community late last night.
“It is so, so tragic,” Fr O’Brien told The Star.
“My sincere condolences to his family.
“They are all in my thoughts and prayers. It is heartbreaking and a tragic start to the new year in Skibbereen.”
A local politician said there are ‘no words’ to comprehend the tragedy.
“There are no words to comprehend it,” Cllr Karen Coakley told The Star.
“My thoughts and sympathy are with his family. I saw the emergency services go through the town earlier and I knew then something serious had happened.
“It is devastating,”
Gardai confirmed emergency services were called to a private dwelling just after 5pm in Tralispean in Skibbereen, west Cork.
"An 18 month old boy was struck by a car in the driveway of a private dwelling,” a garda spokesperson confirmed.
“He was brought to Cork University Hospital but has since passed away.”
An investigation is being launched by gardai. However, the incident is being treated as a tragic accident.
