Oldcastle numbed by tragic road death of boy (4)

The death of a four-year-old Oldcastle boy in a freak accident near Mullingar last Thursday has shocked the local community. Little Peter Hennessy of Summerbank, Oldcastle, died following an accident on the M4 Mullingar bypass at around 5pm last Thursday evening in which his father, Peter, was injured. The tragedy caused widespread shock and sadness throughout the entire area. At Peter's funeral Mass on Sunday in St Brigid's Church, Oldcastle, Fr Ray Kelly spoke about his good nature and the fact that he wanted to be a farmer when he grew up. He said the tragedy was "so hard to understand, so hard to cope with". He added: "No word of comfort has ever been said that can really console parents and family when a lovely litle boy like Peter is lost." Local county councillor, Oliver Fox, said the Oldcastle community was devastated by the tragedy and their sympathies went out to Peter's parents, Peter and Anne; grandparents Michael and Kitty, and little brother, Paul. "They are a lovely family and highly repected in the area," he said. The family is originally from the Mountnugent area and spent some time in the US before returning home to live in Oldcastle. The little boy was fatally injured when travelling with his father, brother and a neighbour in a 4x4 which was towing a cattle trailer on the dual carriageway outside Mullingar on Thursday evening. The accident occurred after the cattle trailer overturned on the dual carriageway at around 5pm. Peter and his father got out of the vehicle uninjured but were then struck by a van.