Two men died and a woman and child were seriously injured in a road traffic collision near Ennis this afternoon.
The male drivers of each car died at the scene and a woman and four-year-old child were injured. The head-on crash occured at Bansha near Darragh and Lissycasey, about six kilometres from Ennis town on the main N68 Ennis to Kilrush road at about 3.35pm.
Three units of the fire service from Ennis, including a specialist emergency tender, were on the scene along with a fleet of ambulances from Ennis and Limerick City.
The injured passengers were taken to Limerick Regional Hospital.
Gardai said one of the dead men was in his 50s, while the other was in his 30s.
"Forensic collision Investigators have been notified and the scene is closed pending a technical examination," a Garda statement said.
"Traffic diversions are currently in place and motorists are asked to avoid the area."
Anyone with information is asked to contact gardai in Ennis, or any Garda station.
Five people have died on the roads in Clare so far this year.
According to Garda statistics, some 134 people had died on the State's roads up to 9am today.
