Tragedy strikes Kilbeggan family a second time

Westmeath is reeling from a week of tragedies during which a four-year-old boy and a 67-year-old man were killed in separate fatal accidents. The communities of Ballinagore and Kilbeggan are this week in shock and mourning for John Gannon, the former owner of a large concrete business in the area, who was killed when a digger he was using at a quarry site overturned leaving him trapped and unable to get out of the water he had been trying to re route fearing that the site would flood. Mr Gannon was found by his son shortly after 9am on Saturday December 5.It is the second time that tragedy has struck the Gannon family from Hazelwood Kilbeggan, as five years ago Mr Gannon's son Ciarán was killed in a road accident aged just 26.Mr Gannon is survived by his heartbroken wife Patricia (McDevitt), sons Shane, Darragh and Niall, daughter Eavan, beloved granddaughter Abigayle, brothers, sister, nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, relatives, neighbours and friends.His funeral Mass will take place this morning from St Michael's Church, Castletown Geoghegan at 12 Noon and burial will take place in the adjoining cemetery.Meanwhile, with just over two weeks left to Christmas a Co. Meath family are mourning the loss of their four year old son.Peter Hennessy from Millcastle, Oldcastle suffered fatal injuries when he was struck by a van on the Dublin Road close to Mullingar on Thursday evening last. Peter had been travelling in a jeep which was driven by his father, Peter Senior, who was transporting cattle to a mart in Co. Kildare. Shortly after 5pm, the jeep, which was towing an agricultural trailer, went out of control. The trailer overturned, blocking one lane of the N4 carriageway but the occupants of the jeep, including the young boy, his two year brother, Paul, his father and a neighbour who was travelling with them escaped injury.As the neighbour went to seek assistance in a nearby garage, Mr. Hennessy remained by his jeep, along with Peter jnr., apparently to warn approaching traffic. Tragically, before help arrived, a Ford Transit van, also travelling towards Dublin, collided with the father and son.Despite emergency treatment at the scene, the toddler lost his life while his father sustained minor injuries.Arising from the accident, the N4 was closed for a period but was later re-opened to traffic.