‘Talented footballer’, 12, with ‘smile never far from his face’ was killed when train hit car on Irish level crossing
A 12-year-old boy, named locally as Eoin Doyle, died on Thursday evening when a train struck the car he was travelling in with his father at a user-operated level crossing near Ballyhaunis, County Mayo. Eoin was pronounced dead at the scene, while his father, a local GAA coach in his 40s, was taken to hospital with injuries described as not life-threatening; all passengers on the train were safely evacuated. The tragedy has shocked the local community, which has described Eoin as a talented and much-loved child.
Eoin was a sixth-class pupil at Cloonfad National School and was involved with both Ballyhaunis GAA and Cloonfad United FC, remembered by his school and community as a gifted athlete, artist and musician with an ever-present smile. His parish priest said he had been returning from under-age training at the time of the crash, and the pair had recently celebrated Mayo's All-Ireland victory together. Gardaí are investigating the incident, appealing for witnesses and planning to interview the train driver, while Eoin's funeral Mass is due to take place on Tuesday at St Patrick's Church, Cloonfad.
- 12-year-old Eoin Doyle killed when train hit his father's car
- Crash occurred at a level crossing near Ballyhaunis, County Mayo
- Father hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries; Gardaí investigating
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Eoin Doyle was a 12-year-old boy from the Ballyhaunis area of County Mayo, in the west of Ireland. He was travelling in a car driven by his father, a local GAA (Gaelic games) coach, when it was struck by a train at a level crossing that drivers operate themselves rather than one controlled automatically or by staff. Eoin died at the scene, while his father was taken to hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening.
Eoin attended Cloonfad National School and played sport locally with Ballyhaunis GAA and Cloonfad United FC, and was known in his community as an all-round talented and popular child. His death has caused widespread shock in the tight-knit rural area, with tributes coming from his school, sports clubs and parish.
The case also raises questions about safety at user-operated level crossings, a type of crossing found on some rural railway lines in Ireland where the person crossing must open and close gates or barriers themselves. Gardaí, the Irish police, are investigating exactly what happened.