Rugby fans killed in Laois crash
Two men in their 30s travelling to the Irish rugby clash in Dublin were among four people killed in a two-car crash today.
Gardaí said the incident happened at around 9.30am at Ballaghmore Lower in Borris-In-Ossory, Co Laois, on the N7 Limerick to Dublin road.
Two of the men were killed and the third was brought to the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise, where his condition was described as stable.
The remaining victims were a Polish man and a Italian woman, both in their mid-20s, who were travelling in the second car.
A garda spokesman said: “Two cars were in collision resulting in the death of four people, two in each car. A front seat passenger in one of the cars was seriously injured.
“All involved were taken to Portlaoise Hospital,” he said.
Gardaí confirmed the three men were driving to Dublin for the RBS Six Nations clash between Ireland and Italy in Croke Park.
Local parish priest Fr Jackie Robinson, who gave the last rites to the four victims, described the crash scene as horrific.
“When I arrived I just anointed them, prayed over them and did what I could for them,” he said.
“The injured person was being taken away in ambulance to hospital.
“It was just horrific. One of the cars went right over a very strong road barrier.
“The other car, when I first arrived I thought the fire brigade had cut out the engine, but it had actually been ripped out of the front,” he said.
The fifth person was taken to hospital in Portlaoise with serious injuries but a spokeswoman for the Health Service Executive confirmed he was now in a stable condition.
