Mourners gathered in Athy, County Kildare, for the final funeral of five teenagers killed in a head-on collision on the M9 motorway. The crash occurred in the early hours of Sunday, August 16, when a vehicle carrying the five youths drove the wrong way down the road and collided with another car.
Funerals have been held for all five teenagers: Jack Kennedy, 17; Joey Carthy, 15; Alex McCarthy, 16; Kamil Pustkowski, 17; and Jeremy O'Brien, 18. The occupants of the other vehicle, three sisters and a young boy from the same family, sustained serious injuries while en route to the airport for a holiday.
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In the wake of the tragedy, Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris commented on the incident, noting a "breakdown in respect for authority" and a diminished "value of life." He described the situation as multifaceted, involving social media, government, the criminal justice system, and road safety concerns.
The crash has also brought attention to the issue of dangerous driving videos circulating online and the responsibilities of social media companies in handling illegal content. TikTok had previously declined to appear publicly before an Oireachtas committee, offering a private briefing to lawmakers instead.
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During a funeral service for Jeremy O'Brien, a priest acknowledged that "what the boys did was wrong" but urged mourners not to let "tragedy" define the narrative. The Irish police service maintained a visible presence at the funeral in County Carlow amidst public outcry and concerns about potential disorder.