A fatal collision in Co Monaghan last October in which five young men were killed took place after the driver of one car crossed over to the incorrect side of the road and hit the other vehicle head-on, a Coroner's Court was told last night.
The Coroner's Court for north Monaghan heard that the drivers of both cars had been found to be well over the legal blood-alcohol limit. Both vehicles had also been speeding at the time of the crash, Garda experts said.
Sgt Colm Finn, a forensic collision investigator, said both cars involved were travelling in opposite directions at the time of the collision.
He said that based on computer modelling, the car that crossed over the road - a blue Volkswagen Golf - had been travelling at about 100 kilometres an hour.
He said that the second vehicle - a red Volkswagen Golf - was travelling at 125 kilometres per hour.
The speed limit for the stretch of road near the village of Threemilehouse, where the collision took place, was 80 kilometres per hour.
Garda Public Service Vehicle Inspector for Cavan-Monaghan, Jim Egan, said that the seatbelt in the blue Golf was not in use at the time of the head-on collision.
Garda experts were unable to say whether the occupants in the red Volkswagen had been wearing seat-belts at the time of the crash.
Brendan Buckley, station officer of the fire service in Monaghan, said that none of his crews had cut seatbelts from any of the cars involved in the crash on the night.
The five men who died were Dermot Thornton (21), Gary McCormick (20), Ciarán Hagan (20), Brian O'Neill (19) and John McQuillan (27).
The inquest heard that the blue Volkswagen had been driven by Ciarán Hagan, while Dermot Thornton was the driver of the red car.
Gary McCormick, Brian O'Neill and John McQuillan were passengers in the red Volkswagen.
Pathologist Dr John Ryan said that Ciarán Hagan had a blood-alcohol level of 201mgs per 100ml and a urine-alcohol level of 253mgs. He said Dermot Thornton had a blood-alcohol of 147mgs per cent and urine-alcohol level of 196mgs per cent.
The jury found that the five men had died as a result of a two-vehicle head-on collision which had resulted in head and other injuries.
The jury foreman said he had been alarmed at the high level of alcohol and speed involved in the incident.
The coroner for North Monaghan, Dr Martin Watters, said that drivers were every day taking enormous risks by drinking alcohol.
Supt Joe Sullivan of Monaghan Garda station said that the deceased had all been loved by their families, neighbours and friends and that their deaths had left a huge void in the community.
Witnesses told the inquest that on the night of the crash, a number of the people involved had left a pub in Threemilehouse to go to a house nearby.
The collision took place a couple of miles from the village shortly after 2am.