AN INQUEST hearing into the death of a 14-year-old Limerick girl, who was struck by a car in the city two years ago, has been scheduled at Limerick Coroner’s Court for October 22.
Savanah Calvert, of Fairview Crescent, Garryowen, died on the night of August 16, 2023, after she was struck by a car as she was crossing a street at Bank Place in Limerick City.
It was the fourth tragedy for the Calvert family after Savannah’s mother Jacqueline died from cancer eight months prior to the fatal collision. Savannah’s sisters Katie and Sophie died with cystic fibrosis (CF), a condition Savannah was also living with.
The deceased girl’s family organised a public march last March in protest over a decision by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) not to bring criminal charges in the case.
Gardaí said they conducted a full investigation into “a fatal road traffic collision involving a car and a pedestrian that occurred at approximately 11.40pm on August 16, 2023”.
“A file was submitted to the DPP, who directed no prosecution. An Garda Síochána does not comment on decisions made by the independent Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions,” a Garda spokesperson said.
Around 100 people, led by Savannah’s sister Diane Calvert, participated in the march, culminating in a gathering outside the Limerick court buildings on Mulgrave Street, calling for “justice for Savannah”.
Speaking at the march, Diane said: “Savannah, we love you, and we’ll never forget you, you’re always in our hearts and our minds.”
“It’s terrible to think that, in the midst of our grief, my family has to do this. This is very hard, but with the help of God, justice will be served.”
Ms Calvert said that despite Savannah living with cystic fibrosis, she was “blooming into a beautiful healthy teenager”.
“Although she just lost her mother, whom she spent every day of her life with, she was coping as best she could, she was brave.”
She said her family had “so many unanswered questions” about the case.
“We must be Savannah’s voice,” she said.
A banner brought to the protest march read: “The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them.”
Another banner read: “Justice for Savannah, our beautiful baby sister.”
A life-sized cut out of Savannah remains at the scene of the fatal collision on Bank Place.
Savannah was remembered at her funeral as “a funny, happy girl, who loved life”, who was sports mad and dedicated to her favourite soccer team Liverpool.
Replica English Premier League and European Cup trophies were placed by her pink coffin at St John’s Cathedral during her funeral mass.
Addressing the deceased girl’s loved ones, Fr Frank O’Connor highlighted the words of the Liverpool soccer anthem, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
“The words of that famous worldwide anthem end in this way… ‘For your dreams be tossed and blown, walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone.”
