Two women were killed instantly yesterday when their car was in a head-on collision near Castlebar, Co Mayo. The driver of the second car, a man in his 20s, was stable in Mayo General Hospital last night.
In Co Wicklow, 69 children escaped serious injury when two coaches on a day trip collided.
The main N5 Dublin to Westport road was blocked to traffic for several hours following the Mayo accident at Windsor, near Turlough, around 5.10pm. Major diversions in the area were still in operation late last night.
One of the women who died was in her 40s while the other was in her 70s. They were from the Kilkelly, Co Mayo and Lisacul, Co Roscommon. The injured man is from Belmullet Co Mayo. Their names are being withheld until next of kin are informed.
Meanwhile, two coaches bringing 69 Dublin children home from a day trip to Clara Lara were involved in an accident in Co Wicklow. The accident happened at New Long Hill, near Kilmacanogue at about 4pm. The buses were travelling in convoy and gardaí believe one bus rammed into the other.
It is thought seven children were taken to Tallaght Hospital, Dublin while a further 12 were brought to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.
A spokeswoman for Crumlin hospital said most of the injured were suffering nothing more serious than a few cuts and bruises and none of the injuries was thought to be life-threatening. A number were undergoing precautionary X-rays but, by late last night, none of the children had been admitted.
There were long delays in the area of New Long Hill and the road remained closed for much of the evening.
At Tallaght Hospital, shock and relief were expressed by the injured children's parents. Denise Brody, whose son, Seán (9), was waiting on a stretcher for X-ray, said her son's "spine, neck and stomach were very tender but they say he is going to be okay". Her daughter Louise (10) rang from the coach "very upset".
Lisa McDonald from Clondalkin, mother of Jade (13), said she was relieved her daughter wasn't too badly injured. "Two youth workers from the Centre (Neilstown Summer Project) called to my house to tell me."
"It's his birthday tomorrow, but the doctor said he is going to be okay," said the grandmother of Craig Bailey (14) at Tallaght Hospital. Seán Kearney's father was waiting for his son to be X-rayed. "He whacked the back of his head off the front of the bus," he said.
Lisa McDonald said her daughter told her "the first bus braked to avoid a van and the second one then crashed into it".