A young boy who died after being struck by a car in Co Limerick has been named locally.

Gardaí arrested a man on suspicion of drink driving in connection with the death of “little angel” Peter Mulcaire (2) in the town of Rathkeale.

The boy was pronounced dead after he suffered catastrophic injuries when struck by a vehicle, which failed to remain at the scene in the Abbeycourt area.

The fatal collision occurred near the boy’s home, around 4pm.

Gardaí arrested a man in his 30s on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

The child had been playing on a toy tractor when he was struck by the car.

A Rathkeale community fun day, which had been scheduled for Sunday, was cancelled by the organisers “out of respect” for the boy and his family and the “tragic circumstances” of the boy’s death.

Friends and relatives of the boy posted photographs of him on social media and shared their sympathies and shock with his family.

“Never in my life seen sadder, may u get best bed Peter only a baby… heartbreaking,” stated a relative.

Another stated: “Heartbreaking… rest in peace baby Peter.”

A neighbour of the boy’s family, wrote: “l’ve never seen sadder, rest in peace to our little neighbour Peter, may God comfort his family tonight. I’m so sorry for year loss, my heart breaks for his family, a little angel.”

Earlier, paramedics had been alerted following the incident and brought the boy by ambulance to Adare village.

The paramedics then handed over the boy to colleagues waiting in an air ambulance in a field outside the village.

The boy was airlifted by air ambulance to hospital where he was pronounced dead on Saturday afternoon.

“The vehicle involved in the collision did not remain at the scene. A male driver of the vehicle (aged in his 30s) was subsequently arrested at a different location by Gardaí on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant,” a garda spokesperson said.

“The male was conveyed to a Garda Station in Co. Limerick for the purposes of providing a blood/urine evidential sample. He has since been released pending analysis of the evidential sample. The investigation is ongoing.”

A Garda family liaison officer was appointed to the boy’s family as the Garda investigation into the circumstances of his death continued.

Gardaí were also harvesting CCTV footage from homes in the Rathkeale area as part of the probe into the boy’s death.

Gardaí were also anxious to speak to any persons with dash cam footage or doorbell footage that may help them with their enquiries.