The deaths of two teenage girls in a crash in Co Monaghan has been described by a local Fine Gael Minister as “every parent’s worst nightmare.”
Two girls, aged 16 and 17, were killed and three other people were seriously injured in a single-vehicle crash at Legnakelly near Clones on Monday evening on their way to a debs ball. The two girls have been named locally as Kiea McCann (17) and Dlava Mohamed (16).
Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys, who represents Cavan-Monaghan area, told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland the entire community was numbed.
“This is just terrible. It’s an unimaginable tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two young girls who have lost their lives and with those who are very seriously injured in hospital.”
The debs ball should have been a night of celebration – a coming of age event for the young people, but it had turned into the worst possible nightmare, she said.
Largy College was an excellent school, it was very family orientated and covered a wide catchment area, she said. It will be providing support to students and their families in the coming days and weeks, added the Minister.
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Ms Humphreys said that no one can ever know what was going to happen and she knew that a lot of parents would be holding their children “extra tight” on hearing the news.
Cavan-Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has spoken of the “absolute shock” in the area.
Speaking on Newstalk’s Pat Kenny show, Mr Smith said everyone had been conscious of the great excitement leading up to the event. Students and their families and friends had gathered in the Diamond in Clones to see them off.
“We don’t have adequate words to convey our sincere sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of the two girls who have lost their lives.”
The crash happened on a busy road that had a high volume of traffic, he said, but cautioned about speculation.
The best educational and psychological therapies would be providing all the support that’s necessary to the school community to help the people through this awful tragedy, added Mr Smith.
The school, local youth club and Youth Work Ireland all provided support on Monday night and would continue to do so. The Department of Education would not be found wanting with regard to support for all impacted, he said.
Cavan-Monaghan Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy told RTÉ radio’s Today show that there were no words to describe the “horrendous ordeal.”
Clones was a very close community, it was like a village in many aspects, he said. There had been an immediate response to news of the tragedy and the school had opened last night to offer support. The school was at the heart of the community and he knew that the principal and staff would do whatever was required.
Mr Carthy said that the evening had started with so many coming along to join in the excitement of the debs and this had turned later into a scene of “utter devastation” with the school and youth services doing whatever they could to support the young people who had lost their friends.
“Of course, there is no support that’s going to compensate them for their loss. What should have been a night of joy, of celebration has become just the beginning of what will be a lifetime of heartache for them.”
Local Fianna Fáil TD Niamh Smyth tweeted that her “thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and school community at Largy College”.
Local Sinn Féin TD councillor Pat Treanor said there was heartbreak in the area.
He told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland of how earlier in the evening young people, going to the ball had gathered in Clones for photographs and to meet their friends. They had all been excited, but an hour later there were helicopters in the air and the sound of sirens and then word of the crash came through, he said.
“We can only imagine how traumatised the other students and pupils in the college, the teachers and all of the parents are this morning,” the councillor said.