Driver in Limerick student's death identified as mothers face funerals of their children

GARDAI have identified the driver of the car in a hit-and-collision that claimed the life of a 16-year-old city student, Limerick Live has learned.

Gardai continue to investigate all the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Bryan Lowe, aged 16, in Clonlara on Friday night, and Peter Mulcaire, 2, in Rathkeale on Saturday afternoon.

Two families who should have been waving their children off to school as normal this week will instead be saying their final farewells following separate road deaths.

Toddler Peter will be laid to rest in the new cemetery in Rathkeale this Wednesday following Mass of the Angels in St Mary’s Church.

"Forever our Little Angel, May He Rest in Eternal Peace,” say his heartbroken parents Kerrie and James in his death notice.

It is the second road tragedy to befall the family as Peter is a cousin of Myles Harty, 20, from Askeaton, who died in a collision just hours before his wedding in 2021.

Peter, who only started pre-school last week, was playing in Abbey Court, Rathkeale when he was struck by a vehicle. A family member rushed Peter to University Hospital Limerick where he was subsequently pronounced deceased.

A male driver of the vehicle, aged in his 30s, failed to remain at the scene. He was subsequently arrested a couple of miles away, reportedly in Croagh, by gardaí on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Results of blood / urine samples taken will determine the course of the garda investigation.

Separately, the Leader understands that gardai have identified the driver of a Skoda Octavia which it’s believed struck Bryan Lowe in Clonlara on Friday night. The teen was found unresponsive by the roadside on the L3050 at Cottage Cross and pronounced deceased at the scene. He was riding an e-bike at the time.

The car failed to remain at the scene. A major garda investigation was launched. Officers made a breakthrough on Saturday morning when they located the vehicle, believed to be involved, in a housing estate in Castleconnell.

It had been set alight but was only partially damaged in the fire. It was seized by gardai for forensic analysis.

One line of enquiry being followed by gardai is that the teenager was being chased by the occupants of a vehicle who wanted to steal his e-bike. Bryan is understood to have texted a friend shortly before his death that he was being followed or chased.

His mum, Crystal Lowe, in a now deleted post on Facebook, wrote that her only son was “followed from Corbally to Clonlara" by a number of people who had "robbed him of his hard-working money and his coat".

Gardai have harvested hours upon hours of CCTV which is being viewed and are waiting for DNA and fingerprint results from Forensic Science Ireland. The social media pages of suspects and associates are also being scoured for clues.

Local TD and neighbour of the Lowe family, Deputy Cathal Crowe said: "Whilst Bryan’s family mourn, I think it’s important for all of us to call this for what it is - murder - this wasn’t an ‘unfortunate accident’”.

His words were echoed by Ms Lowe in now deleted posts on Facebook.

"My son died on his own, I wasn’t with him. I wanted to pray over him but I wasn’t allowed.

"He was murdered. I heard he’s no teeth and more than likely the coffin has to be closed. That says it all," she wrote.

The grieving mother also wrote on social media: "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

Glowing tributes have been paid to both children with hundreds of balloons released in remembrance services in Clonlara and Rathkeale.

Fr Eamonn Fitzgibbon, from St Mary's Parish, Rathkeale, described the death of Peter Mulcaire as a "terrible shock" for the entire community.

"This town is a town that has experienced a lot of sadness down the years. It’s a community that rallies, that comes together, supports each other and I’m very confident that they’ll do that in the days, the weeks, and the months ahead," Fr Fitzgibbon told RTÉ.