Donegal: Tributes to boy, 9, killed in hit and run as arrest made | UK News

This is the first picture of a nine-year-old schoolboy who was killed in a hit-and-run.

Ronan Wilson died after being hit in Co Donegal, Northern Ireland on Saturday.

The boy’s dad, Dean, from Kildress, said the family ‘will never be the same’ following the nine-year-old’s death, the Belfast Telegraph has reported.

He said online: ‘I never thought I’d be saying this but I’ve lost my wee Roro; my main man, my hero and son.

‘I love him so much, he’s been taken from us by a hit-and-run driver. We will never be the same without you, we can’t cope. I’m broken.

‘Roro was the best son anyone could ask for. Nine years of pure pleasure.

‘Rest in peace my son and best friend. Love you forever. From Daddy, Mummy, Calum and Amy and all our surrounding family and friends. We love you Ronan.’

A man in his 20s has been arrested and a vehicle has been seized in connection with Ronan’s death.

Ronan played for Kildress Wolfe Tones U10 football team and his brother and sister also play football for the same side.

Club chairman Dominic McGurk said: ‘People are just numb and are in complete shock at the news.

‘We are a tight-knit community here … and we will come together and we will support the family.’

Club secretary Donna Hagan said: ‘I would see him about the club and he was just a bubbly wee personality who always had a smile on his face.

‘It is just complete devastation and shock across the community.

‘The GAA is a community, we are really an extended family and we are just doing all we can to support the family and we are here to keep doing that in any way we can.’

Ronan attended St Mary’s Primary School, Dunamore, where principal Eileen Ward described him as a ‘happy, caring and likeable’ pupil.

SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone MLA said the community in Kildress and across Tyrone ‘is broken-hearted today’.

He added: ‘The Wilsons are a well-known local family and this tragedy has shocked us all.

‘My thoughts are with Ronan’s family and friends as they come to terms with this devastating news.

‘I know everyone in Kildress and further afield will be thinking of them and will rally around them in the days ahead.’

In Bundoran, Sinn Fein councillor Michael McMahon said it was ‘the darkest day’ in the seaside town with local people in a state of shock.

‘As I speak the area is still cordoned off, it is a very, very tragic event and a very sad day for Bundoran,’ he said.

‘It is the saddest day I can remember in Bundoran in a very long time. There is a sense of grief hanging over the town.

‘People are just stunned. We had someone fall from the cliffs a few days prior to that, so it has been a bad few days for Bundoran.’

Marie Downey said the town was devastated, and told RTE: ‘I’m here today with my son Rian who is close in age to that poor wee boy. I can’t begin to imagine what the family is going through. It’s heartbreaking.

‘My other son is 16 and he was in the area last night where the accident happened. He phoned me in a terrible state and we’re all just deeply shocked and numb at this tragedy’

The incident happened just after 9.20pm on Saturday. Gardaí and emergency services were alerted that a child was hit by a vehicle on Atlantic Way, Bundoran.

Ronan was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. The vehicle involved in the collision failed to remain at the scene.

Ronan’s body was removed to the mortuary at Sligo Hospital.

Last night gardaí renewed their appeal to anyone with information or who may have witnessed the collision to contact them.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE : Lucy Letby to find out today if she faces retrial over attempted murder allegations

MORE : Man who defended XL Bully dogs on social media is attacked by XL Bully in park

MORE : Manchester United release statement after Marcus Rashford car crash

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.