A young boy has died after getting into difficulty in a hotel swimming pool at a birthday party.

       The unnamed boy,7, was attending the party in southeast county Clare, Ireland when he reportedly experienced difficulties.

       He was rushed from the Leisure Centre at the Lakeside Hotel & Leisure Centre to a Limerick hospital on Saturday afternoon.

       A spokesman for the Gardai, the Irish police service, said he was pronounced dead not long after arriving at University Hospital Limerick.

       The death has left a small community in tatters, with some locals breaking down and crying after the news broke.

       Gardai confirmed that he had died after emergency services responded to "an incident at a swimming pool" on April 20.

       A source told The Sun that police and ambulances attended the swimming pool after receiving a call on Saturday afternoon.

       They arrived at the premises at around 3pm but were unable to save the young boy, who was reportedly retrieved unconscious from the pool waters.

       A spokesman was unable to confirm the cause of death, only that arrangements are being made for a post-mortem.

       They said: "Gardaí and emergency services responded to an incident at a swimming pool on a premises in Killaloe, Co. Clare, shortly before 3pm on Saturday, April 20th, 2024.

       "A seven-year-old boy was transported from the scene to University Hospital Limerick, where he was later pronounced deceased.

       "The local coroner has been notified, and arrangements are being made for a post-mortem examination."

       Garda additionally confirmed they were treating the incident as a "tragic accident”.

       The unexpected death has left behind a grief-stricken community, with locals expressing their condolences.

       One local broke down and said: "God love them, it is every parent’s worst nightmare."