Fifteen people, including 11 children, were treated for injuries after a collision between a minibus and a saloon car on the main Killarney to Tralee road shortly before 6pm .
Gardaí said it was understood nobody was seriously injured and that those with minor injuries were taken to hospital mainly for observation.
However, the number of people involved necessitated a major emergency response in terms of ambulances and medical staff. The National Ambulance Service deployed 10 ambulances, two rapid response vehicles, two doctors to the scene, the HSE said in a statement
The incident occurred 1.5km south of Farranfore village in an area known as Knockaderry Hill on the Killarney side near Kerry Airport.
Four helicopters were also dispatched to the scene; two from the Irish Coastguard Service and two from the Irish Air Corps, the HSE said. Six people were airlifted to Cork University Hospital (CUH) and nine were removed to Kerry General Hospital.
The stretch of road involves a series of bends and crossroads. Conditions at the time were wet and very dark.
Ambulances and fire engines converged on the scene and the N22 remained closed for a time but reopened at about 9pm. Nine members of one family were travelling in the minibus towards Killarney. It was a Kerry registered vehicle.
The other vehicle involved is understood to have been a rental vehicle.
A baby seat as well as Santa hats were strewn along the road after the crash.
“This was a very serious accident and many people have been injured tonight,” Cathal O’Donnell, medical director for the National Ambulance Service said,
“The training and experience of the National Ambulance Service personnel was put into practice quickly and to the best standards,” he said.
“I want to acknowledge the support we received from Farranfore Airport which enabled us to use the four helicopters to transfer the more seriously injured patients,” he added.