Dundalk incident: Scottish woman, 21, among five dead in horror crash in Ireland
The five were pronounced dead at the scene while three others were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
A 21-year-old woman from Lanarkshire has been named among five young people who died in a crash in Ireland.
Irish police said the group, who were all in their twenties and travelling in a Volkswagen Golf on their way to a night-out, collided with another vehicle at around 9pm on Saturday near the town of Dundalk in County Louth, on the east coast of Ireland.
The five have now been identified as Chloe McGee, 23, Shay Duffy, 21, Alan McCluskey, 23, and Dylan Commins, 23, all from Ireland, and Chloe Hipson, 21, from Lanarkshire in Scotland.
A sixth person who was in the car, also in his 20s, is receiving medical treatment in hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
Two occupants of the second vehicle, a male and a female, were also taken to hospital for treatment for non-life threatening injuries.
On Sunday morning, Superintendent Charlie Armstrong, from the Dundalk Garda Station, said the police were investigating the full circumstances around the collision and family liaison officers have been appointed to each of the families to provide support.
He said: “I want to express my condolences and sympathies and the sympathies of every member of An Garda Síochána to the families of the five young adults who lost their lives yesterday evening in this road traffic collision.
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“Last night members of An Garda Síochána supported by other emergency services including Dundalk Fire Brigade, HSE Paramedics and staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda initiated a major incident response.”
He continued: “This tragedy, with the loss of five young adults will have a deep impact on families and local communities in Carrickmacross, Dromconrath and in Scotland.
“This is a shocking, devastating event for these families, their communities and the community here in Dundalk.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “I am numbed and shocked at the horrific road crash that has led to the loss of five young lives in Dundalk, Co Louth.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of these young people, and those injured.
“We also think of our first responders, who worked so professionally in truly devastating circumstances.”
Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Harris said a “veil of deep sadness” had come over the country following the loss of five lives.
The Tánaiste said: “A veil of deep sadness and shock has come over our country this morning with the news emerging of the devastating loss of five young lives overnight in a road traffic accident in County Louth.
“This morning, my thoughts, and I know the thoughts of people right across our country, are with the families of those who have lost loved ones, their friends and their communities.
“We keep them in our prayers and in our thoughts now and in the time ahead.
“I also want to pay tribute to the emergency services.
“One cannot even imagine the extraordinarily difficult and tragic circumstances in which they found themselves working last night as they set about trying to help in the most harrowing of situations.”
Irish President Catherine Connolly said she was “deeply saddened and shocked” at the loss of five young lives on Saturday night.
She said: “I am thinking of them, their families and of those injured.
“May I acknowledge also all those first responders who have worked to support all involved.”
Irish police said post mortems will be carried out in the coming days and an incident room has been established at Dundalk Garda Station and an investigation has commenced under a senior investigating officer. They are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.