Three women and a boy who were seriously injured after their car was struck by a stolen vehicle on the M9 motorway in Co Kildare on Sunday remain in hospital.
Five teenage boys, who were travelling in a stolen BMW in the wrong direction on the motorway near Moone, were killed in the incident.
Family and friends have posted messages, naming the teenagers as: Kamil Pustkowski (17) from Limerick; Jack Kennedy (17) from Athy, Co Kildare; Jeremy O’Brien, who was in his late teens and from Carlow; Joe “Joey” Carthy (15) from Athy; and Alex McCarthy (17) from Carlow.
It is understood that sisters Alma and Niamh Kinsella, aged in their 30s, were in the front of the second car while their younger sister Ella Hendricken, aged in her 20s, was a rear-seat passenger alongside her nephew. The young boy was also seriously injured in the incident.
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The older sisters remain in a critical condition in Tallaght University Hospital, while their younger sister is being treated for serious injuries in St Vincent’s University Hospital after being transferred there from St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny.
The boy is being treated for serious injuries at the children’s hospital in Crumlin.
All four are from the Carlow area. They were making their way to Dublin Airport to attend a family wedding in England when the collision occurred at about 3am on Sunday.
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“It is a terrible, sad event,” Fr Tom Little, from Askea parish in Carlow, told The Irish Times.
“It’s very hard to comprehend what’s after happening. Everybody is hoping that those that are injured will make a full recovery.”
Little has been in touch with the family of those who were injured and said they were “bereft with sadness”. He has also been in touch with some relatives of the deceased teenagers, saying it was “a terrible day for them too”.
“It’s a terrible loss, [the boys] had their whole life in front of them.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was “shocked and saddened at the horrific road crash”.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the family who have been injured. I wish them a full recovery,” he said in a statement on Monday.
“The lives of five teenagers have also been lost as a result. Every death on our roads brings untold grief to families and communities.”
Referencing a separate car crash which occurred last week when a stolen car was driven in the wrong direction on the M50 motorway, Martin said: “This is the second appalling crash we’ve seen on our roads in a matter of days as a result of the reckless driving of a car on the wrong side of the motorway, endangering the lives of innocent road users.”
The Taoiseach said such behaviour was “irresponsible and dangerous act” and it was “shocking that in some cases it is being done for likes on social media”.
He said he would speak to Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan and An Garda Síochána about the matter.
“There can be no tolerance for this reckless behaviour that we have seen on our roads recently. It must stop,” Martin said.
Local councillor Paul Doogue said the Carlow community was in “total shock” and hoping the injured people will recover.
The Fine Gael councillor said it was tragic that such a “life-changing” incident could happen to a family setting out on a holiday.
“There’s no point in saying different, it’s actually shocking.”
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Doogue extended his sympathies to the families of the teenagers who were killed. He said the law must be respected, but it was “so tragic to have five young lives lost”.
He said his thoughts were also with the gardaí and other members of the emergency services who attended the scene, saying what they witnessed was “absolutely horrific”.
Cllr Ken Murnane, mayor of Carlow, said the local community was “devastated by what’s happened”.
The Fianna Fáil councillor said the injured women and child were “in our minds, please God they will make a complete recovery”. He also extended sympathy “to the families of the young men that have lost their lives”.
Fergal Browne, a local Fine Gael councillor, said it was “a very dark day” in Carlow.
“It’s a dreadful tragedy on many levels, and obviously it will have a big impact in Carlow with the family that unfortunately were involved in the crash, and then the individuals who lost their lives,” he said.
Mark Leigh, a Labour councillor in Kildare, said the situation was “very tragic” and it was “going to be a tough week” in the area.
“First and foremost, I’m thinking of all the families involved, and hoping beyond hope that the family that survived the crash pull through.”
In a statement, Tusla said its staff were working to provide supports to the families and communities affected by the crash.
“Our thoughts are with those who were injured, and those who lost their lives in the tragic and distressing incident which took place on the M9 over the weekend,” the child and family agency said.
“An Garda Síochána are continuing to investigate all the circumstances of this incident, and we will provide any information necessary to support them in their investigations into this tragedy.
“Our staff will be working with partner organisations to provide supports to the local families and communities affected.”
