By Dionne Meehan
THE parents of Ronan Wilson, the Tyrone child who died in a hit and run incident in Bundoran in 2023, say the installation of new speed ramps on the road where he lost his life is too little too late.
Dean and Emma Wilson say Donegal County Council should have had safety measures in place at Atlantic Way, Bundoran, long before their son Ronan died in a horrific incident in September 2023.
Today, school friends of Ronan will mark what would have been his 11th birthday by releasing balloons at his graveside at St. Mary’s Church Cemetery in Dunamore, Co Tyrone.
It will be a day of much emotion for Ronan’s family and friends, and this week, his parents spoke of their heartache 18 months after losing their son.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Mr Wilson said living every day without Ronan is a nightmare.
“After Ronan died, in that first three to six months, you had family members and friends around you,” he said.
“Now we have nobody.
“Nobody calls to see us, nobody phones and it gets very lonely.
“It feels like being in a boat lost at sea.”
Growing up, Ronan, who loved football, spent much of his childhood holidaying in the seaside town of Bundoran.
There, he loved spending time at the beach, playing in the park and visiting the amusements.
However, since his sad passing, Ronan’s family now find it hard to visit the area – a place they had been visiting since they were children themselves.
With antisocial behaviour long being an issue in Bundoran, late last year three speed ramps were installed on Atlantic Way, the road where Ronan was knocked down.
These works were carried out as part of a regeneration project to curtail speeding in the area.
Ronan is pictured with his mammy Emma.
However, Mr Wilson criticised these works, saying the ramps should have been installed years ago.
“If that had of been the case, there is a good possibility Ronan would still be here,” he said.
“The council in Donegal are very slack; they should have had that sorted.
“Now our wee man is dead over it.”
Mr Wilson described Atlantic Way as a “race track” the night Ronan died.
“It was always a rallying match up and down that straight,” he said.
“Hopefully the speed ramps will save another family from going through what we are going through.
“But at the end of the day, it is too late for us.”
Speaking to the Donegal News, Bundoran Cllr Michael McMahon said he had been calling for the installation of ramps in the area for quite a number of years.
“I fast-forwarded it the best I could after Ronan’s death,” he said.
“Hopefully there will never be another accident so severe.
“My sympathies are with the family who lost Ronan on that dreadful day.”
In honour of Ronan’s 11th birthday today, his parents are planning to install a memorial bench in Bundoran.
They hope the bench will offer a place where family and friends can honour his memory during their visits to the town.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise some funds for the new bench.
Those wishing to make a donation can do so at https://gofund.me/011a07cd
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