Five teens killed in head-on M9 crash as car driven wrong way on motorway are named

Five teens killed in head-on M9 crash as car driven wrong way on motorway are named Five teenagers died after a head-on crash on the M9 near Moone, Co Kildare, in the early hours of Sunday. Five teenage boys who were killed in a head-on crash on the M9 in Ireland have been named. Jeremy O’Brien, 18, and Alex McCarthy, 17, both from Carlow, died alongside Joey Carthy, 15, and Jack Kennedy, 17, from Athy, Co Kildare, and Kamil Pustkowski, 17, from Limerick, reports the Irish Mirror. The five were travelling in a BMW which police said was being driven the wrong way along the motorway when it collided with another car between junctions three and four near Moone, Co Kildare, at around 3am on Sunday. Four people in the other vehicle were injured, including three women and a seven-year-old boy. Two of the women remain in a critical condition, while the third woman and the boy are seriously injured. The four had been travelling to Dublin Airport ahead of a family wedding in Cheshire, according to local reports. The Garda Representative Association said the BMW had earlier failed to stop for officers, adding that its members were “all in shock” after what it described as a “horrific incident”. GRA vice-president John Joe O'Connell said it was his understanding that Gardaí were instructed not to engage with the vehicle once it began travelling the wrong way along the M9. Police have said there was no pursuit taking place when the collision happened, although officers were aware of the stolen vehicle beforehand. Mr O'Connell told RTÉ's Morning Ireland: “It would be standard practice, and the command and control centre would be dictating what happens in a live environment – but the members in the cars have to make a split-second decision.” He also raised concerns about young people filming social media videos involving stolen vehicles, police interactions and wrong-way driving. Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has separately warned that “in some cases” vehicles are being driven on the wrong side of motorways for social media likes. Their bodies were removed from the wreckage late on Sunday after Garda technical teams completed forensic examinations at the scene. Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said Gardaí would fully cooperate with police ombudsman Fiosrú, which is carrying out its own investigation. Officers continue to appeal for anyone who was driving on the M9 in the early hours of Sunday and may have footage, including dashcam video, to come forward. Anyone with information can contact Athy Garda Station on 059 8634210 or the Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111.