August 26th 2023.
Four young people tragically lost their lives on Friday evening in a car crash on their way to a party. Luke McSweeney, 24, was driving his little sister Grace and two of her friends, Zoey Coffey and Nicole Murphy, to celebrate their Leaving Certificate exam results.
The families of the victims have requested privacy as they come to terms with their sudden and devastating loss. Superintendent Kieran Ruane described the scene as 'very difficult' for the first responders and spoke of the exemplary response of those who worked at the scene. The Garda investigation is looking into the heavy downpours that struck the area that night.
The Clonmel community has come together to grieve and support each other in this difficult time. Local secondary schools that the four had attended opened on Saturday to provide support to their students. Several local sporting events and the Clonmel Pride parade have been cancelled out of respect for the grieving families. Locals and students have been seen comforting each other, leaving bouquets of flowers near the crash site.
Ireland's premier Leo Varadkar expressed his condolences, saying: "For young lives, so full of possibility, to be cut short in this way is truly devastating and heartbreaking. The whole nation mourns them." Similarly, minister for education Norma Foley said: "This is heartbreaking news on what should have been a day of enormous celebration and joy for the class of 2023."
The scene at Mountain Road remains closed to allow for a forensic examination, and Gardai are appealing for any witnesses with camera footage or images from the Mountain Road, specifically the Hillview area, between 7pm and 7.30pm on Friday to submit it to them. Post-mortem examinations are to be carried out over the coming days at Waterford University Hospital.
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