A local priest has said that the families of the five young people killed in a car crash near Dundalk in Co Louth are suffering grief “beyond description” as the community rallies around them after the devastating loss.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Fr Finian Connaughton, the parish priest of Drumconrath, said the five families were suffering the same grief, and that in “our community here, absolutely it is beyond description the sense of grief that is around”.
23-year-old Chloe McGee, from Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan; Alan McCluskey, aged 23, from Drumconrath, Co Meath; 23-year-old Dylan Commins, from Ardee, Co Louth; Shay Duffy, aged 21, from Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan; and 21-year-old Chloe Hipson from Lanarkshire in Scotland, were all killed when the Volkswagen Golf car in which they were travelling was in a collision with a Toyota Land Cruiser on the Ardee near Dundalk road just after 9pm on Saturday night.
Another man who was travelling in the Volkswagen Golf was taken to hospital in Drogheda with non-life-threatening injuries, as were the two people travelling in the Toyota Land Cruiser, a man and a woman in their 20s.
Also speaking on Morning Ireland, Monsignor Shane McCaughey said: “There is just a sense of devastation, this palpable grief that is right across our communities this morning, yesterday.
“It has just been a terrible experience for the families involved”, he added, saying that he was with with the family of Ms McGee and “I have to say this it was the first time that I actually witnessed a family collapsing”.
“It was the most terrible experience to witness such unrelenting grief. A cry from the heart of parents and siblings and friends who were with us in the house at that stage,” he said.
The priest said that Ms McGee had made “such a huge success of her life”, achieving her dream to be a teacher”.
Tributes have been paid to the victims here and in Scotland.
Magheracloone Mitchells Gaelic Football Club in County Monaghan, where Shay Duffy was a former player, said the “club and community mourns the heart-breaking loss of five lives”.
In a post on social media, the club extended “heartfelt condolences” to Shay’s family and that the families of the other young people who died may they “find peace, strength, and support through this difficult time”.
Drumconrath Sinn Féin councillor Michael Gallagher said Alan McCluskey and Dylan Commins were both well known locally and were “two popular fellas”, adding that people locally are “devastated, saddened and really shocked.”
He told BBC that:“A dark cloud has come down on the community”. “Five young lives, coming up to Christmas. I am thinking of those five families. It is a terrible, terrible tragedy.”
Scottish team, North Motherwell FC, said they would be holding a one minute silence in memory of Chloe Hipson, whose brother Ryan is a player with the team.
The club said: “North Motherwell Football Club are devastated to hear the tragic news of the untimely passing of Chloe Hipson, Chloe is the little sister to one of our veteran players Ryan Hipson. Ryan, you and your family have always held a special place in the hearts of everyone at NMFC and are very much still part the football family,” in a post on Facebook.
Uachtarán Catherine Connolly said yesterday: “As President of Ireland, I am deeply saddened and shocked by the loss of five precious young lives in Louth last night. I am thinking of them, their families and of those injured.”
Yesterday, Garda Superintendent Charlie Armstrong said: “I want to express my condolences and sympathies and the sympathies of every member of An Garda Siochana to the families of the five young adults who lost their lives yesterday evening in this road traffic collision.
“The scene was very difficult, in adverse weather conditions, and the professionalism shown by all first responders and the care and respect shown to the five deceased was exemplary.
“This tragedy, with the loss of five young adults, will have a deep impact on families and local communities in Carrickmacross, Drumconrath and in Scotland.
“This is a shocking, devastating event for these families, their communities and the community here in Dundalk. I want to take the opportunity to appeal to any person with any information on this road traffic collision to contact the investigation team at Dundalk Garda Station.”
Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty said that the events that occurred were “a very, very clear reminder to us of how things can change dramatically on our roads in a split second and the tragedy that brings families to communities and to loved ones.
He said that 157 people have lost their lives on Irish roads so far this year, up slightly from 2024. “An Garda Síochana will continue to appeal to everybody to take care on the road,” Supt Geraghty added.
Gardaí are investigating the incident.