Last of five teens killed in M9 crash buried today
The coffin of Jimmy O’Brien leaving the Church of the Holy Family in Askea, Carlow, followed by family and mourners.
THE LAST of the five teenagers killed in a head-on collision on the wrong side of the M9 last weekend, Jack Kennedy (17) from Greenhills, Athy, was buried this morning following his funeral in St Michael’s Parish Church in Athy.
Jeremy O’Brien (18) from Carlow town was buried on Monday following his funeral at the Holy Family Church in Askea, Carlow. The other three boys – Alex McCarthy (17) from Carlow, Joe Carthy (15) from Athy, and Kamil Pustkowski (17) from Limerick – were buried last Friday, 21 August, in Askea, Athy and Limerick respectively.
The occupants of the other car, Carlow women Niamh and Alma Kinsella, both in their 30s, and Ella Hendricken, who is in her 20s, remain in a serious condition in hospital following the head-on collision. Alma’s seven-year-old son is also in a serious condition in Crumlin Children’s Hospital.
The innocent family were travelling on the correct side of the motorway on their way to Dublin Airport for a family wedding in the UK when they were struck by the BMW containing the five teenagers.
A prayer vigil for the four survivors was held last Friday evening in St Clare’s Church in Graiguecullen, and a GoFundMe page for the injured family has now raised over €750,000.
Earlier last Friday morning, the funeral of Joey Carthy (15), the youngest of the five deceased, took place in St Michael’s Church, Athy. The funeral cortège, led by his parents, siblings and close relatives wearing white t-shirts with an image of Joey, travelled from Rigney’s Funeral Home to the church, passing through Athy town centre.
Led to the church in a traditional white horsedrawn carriage, Joey’s gold coffin was carried into the church past a series of framed photographs and displays with boxing gloves, reflecting the time Joey spent with St Michael’s Boxing Club in the town.
There was a considerable garda presence across Athy, with gardaí manning checkpoints on roads in the area, while officers also stood outside the church.
Fr Francis McCarthy told the funeral: “We gather with sorrow in our hearts” and offered his “sincere sympathy to Joe’s family”.
Yesterday, the funeral Mass for Jeremy O’Brien took place in Askea, Carlow amid a garda presence in the area. Garda checkpoints were in place on approaches to the town ahead of the service, while an Armed Support Unit vehicle and a number of gardaí on foot were also seen in the area.
A small crowd attended the understated funeral service in Askea church, before Jeremy’s remains were brought in a black horsedrawn carriage to St Mary’s Cemetery in Carlow town.
