NEED TO KNOW
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Five young people, aged between 21 and 23, died in a tragic road traffic collision over the weekend in the Republic of Ireland
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Their identities have subsequently been confirmed by police as Chloe McGee, 23, from Carickmacross; Alan McCluskey, 23, from Drumconrath; Dylan Commins, 23, from Ardee; Shay Duffy, 21, from Carrickmacross; and Chloe Hipson, 21, from Lanarkshire, Scotland
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Taoiseach (Republic of Ireland Prime Minister) Micheál Martin said in an X post that he was “Numbed and shocked at the horrific road crash that has [led] to the loss of five young lives”
Five young people who died in a tragic road traffic collision over the weekend in the Republic of Ireland have been identified by police.
On Saturday, Nov. 15 shortly after 9 p.m. local time, the fatal crash occurred on Ardee Road near Dundalk, County Louth, the An Garda Síochána (Irish police) confirmed in a news release obtained by PEOPLE.
Superintendent Charlie Armstrong said on Sunday, Nov. 16, that the collision on the L3168 road in the village of Gibstown involved two vehicles: a Volkswagen Golf and a Toyota Land Cruiser.
An Garda Síochána
Chloe McGee; Chloe Hipson
“Five occupants of the Volkswagen Golf, three males and two females, all in their early 20s, are deceased at the scene,” the officer said, confirming that one occupant of the Volkswagen Golf, a man in his 20s, was being treated for serious, non-life-threatening injuries at the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
Armstrong added that two occupants of the second vehicle, a male and a female, were also taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
In a further Facebook post on Sunday, police identified the five victims as: Chloe McGee, 23, from Carickmacross; Alan McCluskey, 23, from Drumconrath; Dylan Commins, 23, from Ardee; Shay Duffy, 21, from Carrickmacross; and Chloe Hipson, 21, from Lanarkshire, Scotland.
An Garda Síochána
Dylan Commins, Shay Duffy, Alan McCluskey
Superintendent Armstrong previously said, “I want to express my condolences and sympathies and the sympathies of every member of An Garda Síochána to the families of the five adults who lost their lives yesterday evening in this road traffic collision.”
The officer confirmed that post-mortem examinations will be carried out over the coming days.
“I want to acknowledge and express my gratitude to my colleagues in An Garda Síochána and the other emergency services who attended the scene last night,” he added.
PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Authorities are pictured at the scene of the crash near Dundalk in the Republic of Ireland
The officer continued, “The scene was very difficult, in adverse weather conditions, and the professionalism shown by all first responders and the care and respect 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, Dromconrath and in Scotland,” he shared.
“This is a shocking, devastating event for these families, their communities and the community here in Dundalk,” Armstrong said, urging anybody with any information that could help to come forward.
“Finally, I once again want to express my sympathies to the families of the five young people who lost their lives yesterday evening,” Armstrong concluded.
Tributes for the five victims continue to pour in, with Chloe McGee — a teacher at O’Fiaich College in Dundalk — being described as “vivacious,” “a lovely girl,” and a “master of her craft” by the school’s principal, Padraig McGovern, per the BBC.
“To think we’re going into school today and she won’t be there is an incredible shock and to convey that to students, to young people who find it difficult to process something, or even more difficult than we do, is just a major challenge,” McGovern told BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme.
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Taoiseach (Republic of Ireland Prime Minister) Micheál Martin said in an X post, “Numbed and shocked at the horrific road crash that has [led] to the loss of five young lives.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of these young people,” he added. “We also think of our first responders, who worked so professionally in truly devastating circumstances.”
Read the original article on People
