Four people have been killed, and another seriously injured, in a two-car collision in Co Laois. The crash occurred at Ballaghmore on the N7 between Borris-in-Ossery and Roscrea road a short time after 9.30am.
Two people from each car died in the collision while a front seat passenger in one of the vehicles was seriously hurt.
Gardaí said the deceased were three men and a woman. The injured passenger was also male. All those involved were taken to Portlaoise Hospital.
The road has been closed and gardaí are appealing for any motorists who witnessed the collision or who were travelling on the road this morning to contact Abbeyleix Garda station on 057-873-0580.
Traffic heading south is being diverted from Borris-in-Ossery through Templemore and traffic heading north is being diverted through Templemore to Borris-in-Ossery.
Local parish priest Fr Jackie Robinson gave the last rites to the four victims. He said: "When I arrived I just anointed them, prayed over them and did what I could for them. The injured person was being taken away in ambulance to hospital.
"It was just horrific. One of the cars went right over a very strong road barrier. "The other car, when I first arrived I thought the fire brigade had cut out the engine, but it had actually been ripped out of the front," he said.
A spokeswoman for the Health Service Executive (HSE) said the injured man was taken to the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise and is in a stable condition.