Tributes have been paid to a boy who died when the car he was driving crashed into a lorry.
Named locally as Wiktor Chojecki, the 12-year-old lost his life following a collision with a lorry on the N21 at Rineroe near Adare, County Limerick.
The boy, who is just weeks away from his 13th birthday, was the only occupant of the Nissan Qashqai when it collided with a lorry at around 2am.
Gardai believe the boy had taken the car earlier in the night while other family members were asleep in the Newcastle West area, around 25km from Adare.
The body of the boy was taken to University Hospital Limerick.
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Monsignor Dan Neenan, a local priest who attended the scene, said it was a "harrowing" experience.
Speaking to RTE radio, he said he was asked by Gardai to attend the scene on Friday morning.
Monsignor Neenan said that when he arrived the body of the child was being taken from the vehicle.
He added: "We waited for the emergency services. They were so wonderful, so professional and sensitive and good.
"We waited for the parents to arrive and that was quite some time.
"Obviously they were just so shocked, but also incredibly dignified. We gave them a moment on their own with their son."
Monsignor Neenan said the child's mother thanked everyone at the scene for their help.
"It was harrowing to see, what is really a child, lying dead. Just awful," he said.
The school principal of Scoil Mhuire agus Ide in Newcastle West called the event a "terrible tragedy".
"We are deeply saddened by these events. Our sympathy and thoughts are with Wiktor's family and friends," said Sean Lane.
"The teachers have been helping students to deal with the tragic event," he said in a statement to RTE.
He said that Wiktor "will be greatly missed by all who knew him".
The driver of the lorry, a man in his 40s, did not need hospital treatment.
Residents are in shock at the age of the driver and have expressed their sadness at the loss of a young life.
Joseph Donoghue told the Irish Independent : "I thought I hadn't heard it right when I listened to the news reports of the accident and they gave the age of the driver.
"It is a shocking thing to happen and your heart goes out not only to the family of the poor boy who lost his life but also to the truck driver involved."
Gardai said the scene has been sealed for examination by forensic collision investigators and diversions are in place on the N21.
They have appealed for any witnesses to come forward.
