A four-year-old boy, who had just celebrated his birthday over Easter weekend, was among three people who lost their lives in separate road incidents across Ireland during the holiday period.
The child, named locally as Abdur Rehman, died after being struck by a car in Farranshock Estate, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, shortly after 6:30 pm on Monday. He was treated at the scene before being transported to Mullingar Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Garda forensic investigators have begun examining the vehicle involved as part of their comprehensive investigation. Authorities are seeking witnesses, particularly those with camera or dashcam footage from the area at the time of the incident.
Friends of the family, Faheem Khan and Navid Iqbal, revealed the child had celebrated his fourth birthday just days earlier. “He had his birthday party on Saturday, and there are just no words,” said Mr. Iqbal. The boy’s parents, originally from Pakistan but residing in Ireland for several years, had recently welcomed their second child.
Neighbors described their shock and grief. One woman rushed to help after her son alerted her to the accident. Another resident, Baiba Burina, struggled to maintain composure, saying, “It’s horrible, and I keep thinking he was only four, and my son is 10.” Local councilors reported that community members were “traumatized” by the tragedy.
In separate incidents, a motorcyclist in his 20s died following a collision with a car in Ardagh village, Co. Limerick. The driver of the vehicle sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to University Hospital Kerry.
In Dublin, 18-year-old Jason Monks lost his life when his scrambler motorbike collided with a car on Citywest Avenue on Sunday evening. Family members paid emotional tributes to the young father of one. His mother, Donna, wrote on social media, “My heart is shattered into a million bits. I can’t cope. Why, my handsome young man?”
Additionally, serious injuries were reported in other weekend incidents. In Co. Kilkenny, a man in his 30s remains in serious condition following a motorcycle collision on Sunday. In Co. Sligo, two women and two children aged nine and three were seriously injured in a two-car crash on Monday.
Gardaรญ continue to appeal for witnesses to these incidents.
About the author
US and UK Reach Limited Trade Deal While 10% Tariffs Remain
President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a limited bilateral trade agreement on Thursday that maintains Trump's 10% tariffs on British exports while expanding agricultural access and reducing steep US duties on British automobile exports. The "general terms" agreement marks the first of numerous tariff-adjusting deals Trump expects to finalize in the coming weeks. It follows his implementation of new import taxes aimed at addressing the $1.2 trillion US goods trade deficit. Trump celebrated the deal in the Oval Office with Starmer connected via speakerphone. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer prepared to launch negotiations with Chinese officials in Switzerland. Trump emphasized that Britain "made a good deal" but cautioned that other trading partners might face higher final tariffs due to their large US trade surpluses. "It opens up a tremendous market […]
US and Britain Set to Announce Historic Tariff Reduction Deal
The United States and Britain are preparing to announce an agreement to lower tariffs on certain goods on Thursday, marking the first such deal since President Donald Trump implemented worldwide tariffs. Trump announced on Truth Social that he would hold an Oval Office news conference at 10 a.m. EDT Thursday regarding a "major trade deal with representatives of a big and highly respected country." A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed he would provide an update on US-UK trade discussions later Thursday. Sources familiar with the negotiations indicated the framework of an agreement would be announced. "The United States is an indispensable ally for both our economic and national security," a Downing Street spokesperson stated. "Talks on a deal between our countries have been continuing at pace, and the Prime Minister will update later today." A British official […]
Europe Commemorates 80th Anniversary of VE Day Amid Shifting Security Landscape
Solemn ceremonies will be held at war memorials across France on Thursday as the country marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, observed as a public holiday there annually. In Paris, President Emmanuel Macron will lay a wreath at Charles de Gaulle's statue, walk up the Champs-รlysรฉes to the Arc de Triomphe, rekindle the eternal flame at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, and inspect troops. The ceremony will include a minute's silence, a rendition of the Marseillaise, a speech from Macron on "the values that triumphed in 1945," military bands from six countries, a parade of French armed forces personnel, flags, wartime vehicles, re-enactors, and a flypast. However, France is among the relatively few European countries marking VE Day with such an elaborate ceremony. Some commemorate it more modestly without a public holiday; others call it […]
Young Britons Turn to Catholicism Seeking Deeper Connection in Digital Age
Twenty-three-year-old Joshua Steel found a "great sense of peace" when he began attending Catholic Mass in Britain, something he says was missing in his life. Twenty-six-year-old Dan Williamson was driven to convert by an "ache" for something "deeper and ancient and more rich." Both are among a growing number of men aged 18-34 attending church in Britain compared to pre-pandemic times, challenging the assumption that Christianity was in generational decline in Western nations like Britain. As cardinals gather to vote for Pope Francis's successor on May 7, the traditions and rituals of the Catholic Church, combined with a longing for connection and faith, appear to be attracting younger British adults, particularly men. "I was looking for meaning in life," Steel said after Mass at St. Elizabeth of Portugal church in southwest London, as incense lingered in the air. An Australian […]
UK Stocks Decline Led by Healthcare and Real Estate Despite Trade Talk Progress
Britain's main indexes fell on Wednesday, with healthcare and real estate stocks leading the decline despite positive developments in trade talks, as investor focus shifted to the upcoming U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate decision. By 1008 GMT, the FTSE 100 was down 0.3%. The domestically focused midcap index slipped 0.2%, poised to end its nine-session upward streak. An index of the UK's healthcare companies dropped 2% after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration appointed Vinay Prasad, an oncologist previously criticized for FDA leadership and COVID-19 mandates, as the director of its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Shares of GSK and AstraZeneca fell between 4.4% and 2%, with GSK heading toward its largest daily decline in a month. The real estate index shed 1.3% following an industry survey that showed Britain's construction sector contracted for a fourth consecutive month in […]
German Chancellor Nominee Rejected in Historic First-Round Vote
Friedrich Merz, Germany's conservative leader, unexpectedly failed to secure enough votes to become chancellor on Tuesday, plunging Europe's largest economy into renewed political uncertainty. The 69-year-old Merz, whose CDU/CSU conservatives won February's federal election and recently signed a coalition agreement with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), received only 310 votes in the secret parliamentary ballotโsix short of the absolute majority required. At least 18 coalition MPs apparently withheld their support. While not necessarily fatal to his chancellorship bid, Merz's first-round rejection marks an unprecedented setback in post-war German politics and embarrasses a leader who promised economic revival during global instability. The vote immediately cast doubt on Merz's planned diplomatic visits to France and Poland scheduled for Wednesday. Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner announced that nine lawmakers abstained while 307 voted against Merz, who appeared visibly shocked by the outcome. Party insiders […]
Related
US and UK Reach Limited Trade Deal While 10% Tariffs Remain
President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a limited bilateral trade agreement on Thursday that maintains Trump's 10% tariffs on British exports while expanding agricultural access and reducing steep US duties on British automobile exports. The "general terms" agreement marks the first of numerous tariff-adjusting deals Trump expects to finalize in the coming weeks. It follows his implementation of new import taxes aimed at addressing the $1.2 trillion US goods trade deficit. Trump celebrated the deal in the Oval Office with Starmer connected via speakerphone. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer prepared to launch negotiations with Chinese officials in Switzerland. Trump emphasized that Britain "made a good deal" but cautioned that other trading partners might face higher final tariffs due to their large US trade surpluses. "It opens up a tremendous market […]
US and Britain Set to Announce Historic Tariff Reduction Deal
The United States and Britain are preparing to announce an agreement to lower tariffs on certain goods on Thursday, marking the first such deal since President Donald Trump implemented worldwide tariffs. Trump announced on Truth Social that he would hold an Oval Office news conference at 10 a.m. EDT Thursday regarding a "major trade deal with representatives of a big and highly respected country." A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed he would provide an update on US-UK trade discussions later Thursday. Sources familiar with the negotiations indicated the framework of an agreement would be announced. "The United States is an indispensable ally for both our economic and national security," a Downing Street spokesperson stated. "Talks on a deal between our countries have been continuing at pace, and the Prime Minister will update later today." A British official […]
Europe Commemorates 80th Anniversary of VE Day Amid Shifting Security Landscape
Solemn ceremonies will be held at war memorials across France on Thursday as the country marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, observed as a public holiday there annually. In Paris, President Emmanuel Macron will lay a wreath at Charles de Gaulle's statue, walk up the Champs-รlysรฉes to the Arc de Triomphe, rekindle the eternal flame at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, and inspect troops. The ceremony will include a minute's silence, a rendition of the Marseillaise, a speech from Macron on "the values that triumphed in 1945," military bands from six countries, a parade of French armed forces personnel, flags, wartime vehicles, re-enactors, and a flypast. However, France is among the relatively few European countries marking VE Day with such an elaborate ceremony. Some commemorate it more modestly without a public holiday; others call it […]
Young Britons Turn to Catholicism Seeking Deeper Connection in Digital Age
Twenty-three-year-old Joshua Steel found a "great sense of peace" when he began attending Catholic Mass in Britain, something he says was missing in his life. Twenty-six-year-old Dan Williamson was driven to convert by an "ache" for something "deeper and ancient and more rich." Both are among a growing number of men aged 18-34 attending church in Britain compared to pre-pandemic times, challenging the assumption that Christianity was in generational decline in Western nations like Britain. As cardinals gather to vote for Pope Francis's successor on May 7, the traditions and rituals of the Catholic Church, combined with a longing for connection and faith, appear to be attracting younger British adults, particularly men. "I was looking for meaning in life," Steel said after Mass at St. Elizabeth of Portugal church in southwest London, as incense lingered in the air. An Australian […]
UK Stocks Decline Led by Healthcare and Real Estate Despite Trade Talk Progress
Britain's main indexes fell on Wednesday, with healthcare and real estate stocks leading the decline despite positive developments in trade talks, as investor focus shifted to the upcoming U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate decision. By 1008 GMT, the FTSE 100 was down 0.3%. The domestically focused midcap index slipped 0.2%, poised to end its nine-session upward streak. An index of the UK's healthcare companies dropped 2% after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration appointed Vinay Prasad, an oncologist previously criticized for FDA leadership and COVID-19 mandates, as the director of its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Shares of GSK and AstraZeneca fell between 4.4% and 2%, with GSK heading toward its largest daily decline in a month. The real estate index shed 1.3% following an industry survey that showed Britain's construction sector contracted for a fourth consecutive month in […]
Trump Strikes Ceasefire Deal While Houthis Pledge Continued Attacks Against Israel
Yemen's Houthi chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdulsalam, has clarified that their ceasefire agreement with the United States excludes operations against Israel. Abdulsalam told Reuters on Wednesday that attacking Israel was not included "in any way, shape or form" in the Oman-mediated deal. This announcement came shortly after Israeli warplanes struck Yemen's Sanaa airport, causing approximately $500 million in damage according to airport director Khaled al-Shaief. The ceasefire was announced Tuesday by US President Donald Trump, who declared that attacks on Yemen would cease immediately after the Houthis agreed to stop targeting vessels in the Red Sea. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi confirmed the agreement, stating that "following recent discussions and contacts... with the aim of de-escalation, efforts have resulted in a ceasefire agreement between the two sides." The deal specifies that "neither side will target the other... ensuring freedom of navigation […]
Be the first to leave a comment