Fourth teenager killed in M9 crash laid to rest in Carlow

THE FUNERAL mass for Carlow teenager Jeremy O'Brien, which took place in Holy Family Church, Askea, this morning, heard that "families have been changed forever" following the fatal car crash on the M9 last week.

Jeremy (18), who was from Burrin Manor on the Tullow Road, died when a car – which gardaí believe he was driving – travelled the wrong way down the M9 motorway and struck another car in a head-on collision.

The four other teenage occupants of the car Jeremy was in died at the scene.

The occupants of the other car, sisters Niamh and Alma Kinsella, their younger sister Ella Hendricken, and Alma's seven-year-old son Yemi, are being treated for serious injuries in hospital.

The tone inside Holy Family Church was sombre and understated, as hundreds gathered to remember the 18-year-old.

In his homily, Parish Priest of Askea, Fr Tom Little, said the death of a young person is always "difficult to accept," especially when their death is sudden and unexpected, "before so many hopes and dreams have been realised."

"Today, our grief and sadness is made even heavier because this was an accident that affected not just one person alone. Several lives have been lost, and others have been seriously injured. Families have been changed forever," Fr Little said.

"There are people in hospital fighting to recover, and there are families who are beginning the painful journey of learning to live with an empty place at their table," he added.

Jeremy's brothers, Felix and Jamie, said the prayers of the faithful, which included prayers for the injured family, all those affected by the accident, and the emergency services and first responders who attended the scene.

Jamie said, "We pray for all the families affected by the accident. We ask God to comfort them at this time," while Felix asked that mourners "pray for all road users, that God may help us to be careful and respectful on the road."

He added that they pray for the "doctors and nurses who are caring for those hurt in the accident, that they may help them to make a full and speedy recovery."

Led by a lone uilleann piper, Jeremy's body was brought to St Mary's Cemetery in a black horse-drawn carriage, accompanied by his family and friends.

Elsewhere, three of the five boys' funerals were held on Friday.

Alex McCarthy (16), from Carlow, was buried at St Mary's Cemetery, following his funeral mass at Holy Family Church, Askea, while Joey Carthy (15) was buried in Athy.

A ceremony was also held in Limerick for 17-year-old Kamil Pustkowski.

The funeral of Jack Kennedy (17), from Athy, is being held tomorrow (Tuesday).

On Friday, hundreds of people from the local community and beyond gathered at St Clare's Church, Graiguecullen, for a prayer vigil for the injured family.

Originally from the Bennekerry area and later of Graiguecullen, Niamh and Alma Kinsella are aged in their 30s. Ella is aged in her 20s.

A GoFundMe page set up to support the girls and Yemi in their recovery has raised over €740,000 so far.