Infant who died after being stuck by vehicle at Clare halting site is laid to rest

The infant 18-month boy who died from injuries he sustained in a road traffic incident outside Ennis last week “radiated love and lived his life fully”.

These are the words of Ennis parish priest, Fr Tom Ryan who told mourners that Hunter James Molloy received nothing “but love and care from his Mam and Dad, Alisha and Peter”.

At the Mass of the Angels at St Peter and Paul Cathedral in Ennis this Monday afternoon, family members, relatives and friends wore bright blue t-shirts with a colour image of Hunter to celebrate his short life.

The Funeral Mass took place five days after Hunter lost his life in a road traffic accident at the Ballaghboy halting site, Quin Road, Ennis before lunchtime last Wednesday.

Fr Molloy told the family today that in an instant second last Wednesday “life stopped and changed”.

He said: “We don’t know why accidents happened but they do.” adding: “We have lots of questions but we simply don’t have answers. We don’t why and we will never know - it is simply not fair.”

Fr Ryan remarked: “Hunter’s life was lived fully…He never committed a sin in his life - he just radiated love.”

He said that Hunter’s life ended so unexpectedly last Wednesday and addressing his family, Fr Ryan added: “Hunter lived a life of love."

The congregation was told that “Hunter both gave and received love - his presence in your lives brought great joy and his death has caused great pain.”

Fr Ryan said that Hunter was no different to any other boy or girl of his age where he laughed, he smiled, he cried, he grew hair, he grew teeth and he ate and slept.

The parish priest said that “with heavy hearts, we hand Hunter back to God who first gave him to us,” adding that Hunter’s life "has been a great lesson to all of us”. 

Addressing Hunter, Fr Ryan said: “Today with heavy hearts, we give thanks to God in our sadness for your life, short and all as it was, for your inspiration and for legacy.”

Following the Mass, the infant was laid to rest at Drumcliffe cemetery outside Ennis and a horse-drawn white carriage brought his remains for most of his final journey.

Hunter’s father, Peter and other Molloy family members carried the blue coffin through Ennis’s streets before the coffin was placed within the glass covered carriage.

At the end of the Funeral Mass, members of the Molloy family carried Hunter’s coffin outside the Church to the sound of R Kelly’s ’The World’s Greatest’.

Images of Hunter were draped over two of the four white horses with one stating ‘RIP, Our Hunty Wunty’ and a second stating ‘RIP Our Blue Eyed Boy’.

Hunter is survived by his parents Peter and Alisha; sisters Natalia and Charmayne and his extended family.