A vigil is to take place on Sunday in memory of 12-year old Wiktor Chojecki, who died in a head-on road crash.
The boy died when a car he was driving hit an articulated lorry at around 2am on Friday just outside the village of Adare, Co Limerick.
The boy, whose parents emigrated to Newcastle West from their native Poland a number of years ago, was the sole occupant in the car, gardai said.
A vigil, “Brighten Up The Sky for Wiktor Chojecki”, is to take place in The Square, Newcastle West at 3pm on Sunday.
Prayers are also been said for the family at local masses around the parish as well as at services in Limerick City.
The vigil is being organised by Newcastle West resident and Polish native Dominika Hogan.
“As a member of the Polish Community in Newcastle West it saddens me to say that once of Our good Friends has lost their Son fatally in a car accident,” Ms Hogan wrote on social media.
“To show Support to Wiktor’s Family and as a Mark of Respect I would like to invite Everyone who would like to let off a balloon in Memory of Wiktor to The Square in Newcastle West @3pm.”
“Bring a balloon or two, let’s brighten up the sky for Wiktor,” added Ms Hogan.
Gardai investigating the fatal collision are to examine the boy’s mobile phone, which was found at the scene, to see if it holds any clues as to why he ended up behind the wheel of car in the early hours of Friday.
Gardai are working on the theory that the boy took his mother’s Nissan Qashqai for a spin while she and the rest of his family were sleeping.
Pat O’Sullivan, Honorary Consul for the Republic of Poland in Limerick, said he would be attending Sunday’s vigil and that he would offer any assistance he could to the boy’s family.
Mr O’Sullivan said the Ambassador of Poland to Ireland, Anna Sochanska, was actually in Limerick on Friday, on a planned visit, and that she offered her condolences and sympathies to the boy’s family.
Mr O’Sullivan said he had been in contact with the Polish Embassy and that it would offer all and any consular assistance to the boy’s family.
“I will be attending the vigil, I don’t know the family, but there are somewhere between 7,000-10,000 Polish people living in the Limerick region, approximately 140,000 nationally,” said Mr O’Sullivan.
“Our duties include looking after certain legal issues and also helping and supporting industry and commerce between Limerick and Clare and Poland, and also dealing with some of the more human and social issues that might arise with our Polish community living here.”
“We do everything from consultancy and directing them in the right way from what agencies to deal with. The Polish community are an asset to our community, they have a great work ethic and also provide some of the social fabric to our community in terms of Polish art exhibitions, festivals, and the likes, and they are very much involved and in sporting organisations and sporting clubs.”
Mr O’Sullivan said the boy’s death was “a tragic event and I offer my sympathy and support to the family”.
“We’re not familiar with the background to it or how it occurred, but at the end of the day it is just so tragic and a loss of life at such a young age is so sad for his family.”
There is a large Polish community in Newcastle West and surrounding areas of the west of the County and those from the community, along with neighbours and friends of the boy’s family have been rallying around them as they try to come to terms with the horrific events of Friday morning.
Wiktor was a popular fist year student at Scoil Mhuire agus Ide, Newcastle West, where Principal Sean Lane said the boy would be “sadly missed” by both pupils and the teaching staff.
The school will continue to provide psychological counseling supports to “all students across the whole school who may be affected by the tragedy”, added Mr Lane.
“Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward. Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling on the N21 near Adare area at the time of the collision are asked to make this footage available to Gardaí,” said a garda spokesman.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Newcastlewest Garda Station 069 20650, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”
