Two-year-old killed in Limerick hit-and-run

A two-year-old boy was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, on Saturday afternoon, September 5, 2026. The child, identified locally as Peter Mulcaire, was struck by a jeep around 3:50 PM. He was taken to University Hospital Limerick with serious injuries but was pronounced dead a short time later. The vehicle involved in the collision did not remain at the scene. Gardaí later arrested a man in his 30s at a separate location on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant. He was taken to a Garda station in Co. Limerick to provide a blood or urine sample and has since been released pending the analysis of the sample. Investigations into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing. The tragedy occurred just days after Peter had begun preschool. His mother, Kerrie Mulcaire, had shared photos on social media of him smiling with his school bag on his back, marking his first day on Monday, August 31. Gardaí have confirmed that a Family Liaison Officer has been appointed to support the Mulcaire family. The road where the incident occurred was closed for a technical examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators.