The neighbouring small towns of Newtownbutler and Lisnaskea in Co Fermanagh are preparing for four funerals after Sunday morning's car crash claimed the lives of four young people from the area.
Two of the victims, Anita Swift (16) and Jonathan McDonald (21), both from Newtownbutler will be buried after funeral Masses at St Mary's Church today.
Danica O'Rourke (17) and Peter Leonard (21) from Lisnaskea will be laid to rest after funeral Masses tomorrow at Holy Cross Church in the town.
The four young people were back-seat passengers in a car which crashed into a tree at about 3.30am on Sunday on the Moorlough Road in Lisnaskea.
The driver and front-seat passengers, also from the local area, suffered minor injuries in the accident. The 19-year-old driver was arrested by the Police Service of Northern Ireland but was released on bail pending further inquiries.
The parish priest of Newtownbutler, Fr Michael King, will officiate at today's funeral Masses for Anita, a world champion line-dancer, and Jonathan, a talented artist who also worked as a disc jockey.
Fr King was called to the scene of the accident shortly after it happened. He said the scene was horrific and it was something he never wanted to witness again. He appealed for young people especially to be careful on the roads, and spoke of the terrible anguish of the bereaved.
"It's hard to sit in people's homes and watch them really heartbroken and in deep grief. This is a small community and these are neighbours' children. It's just heart-rending," he said.
Canon Joseph Mullen, parish priest in Lisnaskea, will officiate at tomorrow's funerals of Danica, who also loved line-dancing and was training to become a beautician, and Peter, who worked as a fitter in a local factory.
He said there was a great feeling of grief in the community. The deaths had opened up old wounds for people in the area who had lost sons and daughters in tragic accidents. "People are grieving for the bereaved families and for themselves," he said.
Sinn Féin's MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Michelle Gildernew, extending her sympathy to the families, said that the community was "numbed" by the tragedy.
The SDLP Assembly member for East Derry, John Dallat, also sympathising with the families, said more must be done to try to prevent such accidents. He said the current official road safety policy was disjointed and lacked cohesion.
He called on the British government to set up a road safety authority similar to the body in the Republic.
