Heartbroken schoolmates gather to remember tragic Kimberly O’Connor

Photographs of the Terence MacSwiney College transition year student sat atop a tribute table just inside the school’s front door.

A candle flickered nearby for the young life lost. The sari Kimberly wore during a recent volunteer trip to India was draped behind the table. Many students signed a book of condolences for the girl they called Kimmy. The book will, in time, be presented to Kimberly’s devastated family.

As they mourned her, they also prayed for the full recovery of another school pal who suffered massive head injuries in the crash, and who remains in critical condition in hospital.

“All they want to be is together, to be in a safe space, to be able to talk about Kimberly and about what happened, and the school has provided that for them at this difficult time,” one parent said as she waited outside.

And as the school community wrapped its arms around its students, the public too was moved to help Kimberly’s family, pledging over €10,000

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One of those who donated wrote, “I want the family not to have to worry about funeral cost at this heartbreaking time. Every parent’s nightmare.”

Kimberly was fatally injured when the car in which she was a front-seat passenger struck a wall near her home on Harbour View Road in Knocknaheeny just before midnight on Wednesday.

Kimberly, one of four siblings, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two teenage boys, one of whom is also a student of the school and the other who is a past-pupil, and who were backseat passengers in the car, were taken to Cork University Hospital (CUH).

One boy suffered severe head injuries and remains in critical condition in CUH. His family are at his bedside.

The 16-year-old who is believed to have been driving the car left the scene and later presented himself at the Mercy University Hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Gardaí are satisfied that the 19-year-old Seat Toledo in which they were travelling was a so-called “company car”, which could have been bought for a few hundred euro.

While the garda investigation into the crash is ongoing, it's believed that Kimberly was being driven home when the car struck a traffic light at a pedestrian crossing and was sent careering into a tree before it struck the wall outside a house just across the road from where she lived. The incident has rocked the entire community.

Kimberly died just weeks after returning from Kolkata, India, where she spent a week with fellow transition year students volunteering with the HOPE Foundation which helps street and slum children. The Cork-based charity paid a moving tribute to her.

“The HOPE family are absolutely heartbroken to hear the tragic news of Kimberly O'Connor’s passing,” she said.

“From the first time we met her, Kimberly was full of sparkle.

“We feel privileged that she shared a special week with HOPE in Kolkata in January 2020.

“Kimberly spread love and happiness while adding colours to the lives of vulnerable children supported by HOPE.

“All of our thoughts, love and prayers are with her family, friends and all at Terence MacSwiney Community College as they try to come to terms with such a tragic loss of a beautiful young life.

“Kimberly, you will always be in our hearts.”

The school opened its doors this afternoon to offer help, support and counselling for all the students who have been affected by the car crash, and to help them prepare for the difficult days ahead.

It has implemented its critical incident management plan and is liaising with National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), senior management at the Cork Education and Training Board and community gardaí in Gurranabraher as they offer support to students, parents and teaching staff.

“We would like to thank them, members of the local community services and our staff members for their efforts in supporting our students and their families,” it said.

“Staff and counselling personnel are currently on site at the school to offer support, advice and guidance to those who require the same. We would ask that the privacy of the families of the students involved in the accident be respected at this time.”

SuperStars stage school, where Kimberly spent years studying dancing and acting, also paid an emotional tribute to her alongside a moving video featuring photos of her through the years.

"When you take pictures of the students or record them, you never think they will be used in memory of them," it said.

They described Kimberly as the kindest person you could ever meet, whose heart was open to everyone.

"If a new person was joining you could always count on Kim to take them under her wing. If the rest of the class stood back from an activity, Kim would confidently give a sigh and say “ok ill go first”, she was the energy of every class she was in," it said.

"Talent came naturally to Kim but she was so humble, she would always root for the other person.

"Kimberly was a star in every sense of the word. Beautiful inside and out. Kim will always be one of us.

"We will miss her beyond belief and we will never forget her."