Clonmel crash: Community ‘grieving together’ after loss of four young people

A vigil will be held in Clonmel on Sunday evening following a tragic car crash that claimed the lives of four young people in the Co Tipperary town.

The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Alphonsus Cullinan, is expected to attend the gathering at Kickham Barracks Plaza, near the centre of the of the town.

Nicole Murphy, Zoey Coffey, Grace McSweeney (all 18) and Ms McSweeney’s brother Luke (24) were killed when, during a heavy downpour on Friday evening, the vehicle they were travelling in overturned and hit a wall on Mountain Road in Clonmel. The three teenagers had received their Leaving Certificate results just hours before, and were due to travel to Carlow to celebrate the occasion.

On Sunday morning, students and teachers attended prayer services in Clonmel, at Presentation Secondary School – where Ms McSweeney and Ms Coffey formerly attended – and Loreto College, Ms Murphy’s alma mater.

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Tommy Coyne, a neighbour of the McSweeney family, was walking close to his home on Sunday morning. “Everyone is just shocked,” he said.

A 15-minute drive from Clonmel, Fr Brian Power led tributes to the young people during Sunday Mass in the village of Kilcash, close to Ms Murphy’s homeplace, noting that words were “inadequate” in the wake of such a tragedy.

The mood in the locality was one of devastation, he said after Mass.

Another woman outside St John the Baptist Church in Kilcash, said: “We are all grieving.”

Presentation College principal Michael O’Loughlin said the importance of togetherness during this time is “absolutely huge”.

“It was great that we had a chance to share their stories together yesterday and today. We are all grieving together. It is just heartbreaking to get that phone call on Friday night. The news was so bad, there was no hope,” he told RTÉ Radio One’s This week.

“The next few weeks is going to be very tough for us all, but I know the Clonmel community will rally around us.”

Loreto principal Anne McGrath said when the news broke of the crash, some of the girls were already in Carlow celebrating, while others were only on their way to the party.

“They just said to me that they just turned around, they just came home. There were a lot of unknowns initially and it was very important that they were together,” she said.

“That’s how they’ve gotten through because they can cry and grieve together. Sometimes if you’re not directly involved it can be hard to understand.”

There has been an outpouring of condolences, including a message from President Michael D Higgins, since the news first emerged.

“The grief that has been expressed by the community is nearly unbearable and I send my deepest sympathies to their families, their whole community, those in their year in school and the whole school, its pupils and management,” he said.

A book of condolences will be opened in council offices from 11am on Monday.