TRIBUTES ARE BEING paid to the 14-year-old boy who tragically died in a farming accident in County Carlow yesterday.
The boy has been named locally as Donal English-Hayden.
The teenager, who was due to begin secondary school today, was killed when a tractor and trailer being driven by a local farmer collapsed and overturned into a ditch containing water.
The incident happened at about 10.30am in the small village of Rathoe, Co. Carlow just 5km away from Ballon.
Donal and his brother had been helping the farmer who is believed to be a very well known man in the area and is very close to the English-Hayden family.
Donal’s injuries were described as very serious and he was taken to St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny where he later died.
The victim’s brother survived the accident and has since been discharged from hospital, reports RTÉ.
RTÉ’s Damien English shared this photo of the teenager on Twitter:
It’s believed a number of people were helping out on the farm yesterday morning harvesting beet.
Tributes to the young boy have been flooding in from friends and local sports clubs.
In a statement, Carlow GAA said it is in mourning “for our young colt”.
The club describes Donal as a “fine player and the finest young man”.
His father Matthew English Hayden is heavily involved in the local community and the GAA. The Carlow Nationalist reports that he and his wife, Noreen, a nurse in the local hospital, have seven children, aged between 12 and 23 years old.
The Health and Safety Authority is investigating the incident.
Deputy President of the Irish Farming Association Tim O’Leary gave his deepest condolences to the family on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
He said people often forget that farms aren’t just workplaces, they are homes too.
O’Leary said that last year was a terrible year for farm deaths, with the highest number in almost 20 years. He said farmers are becoming more aware of safety. This year he said the trend seems to be improving.
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