There is a sense of shock, disbelief and upset in a local community in Co Galway following the death of two teenagers in a collision on Monday.
The chairperson of the board of management of Presentation College Headford, which the four teens involved in the tragic crash attended, has said that the school has implemented its critical incident response protocol to provide support services for students and their families.
The school will open for a number of hours today for counselling support, although classes will not return until after the Easter break next Monday. The supports at the school will remain in place for the remainder of the week.
Councillor Mary Hoade told Newstalk Breakfast and RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that the Headford area was a strong community, but that at present they were in a state of shock and upset.
The four teens involved in the crash were Junior Cycle students at Presentation College which has 1,000 students.
“We’re here to support school families. This is a very strong local community, and they will help in any way they can.”
The board of management sent a letter to parents on Monday night in which it emphasised its commitment to providing support at a “terribly tragic and confusing time”.
Parents were urged to be aware of the impact the tragedy could have on their children and to take time to listen and to discuss any concerns they may express in the coming days.
The letter also suggested parents and guardians should monitor their children's use of social media, to engage with them about material they view, and to emphasise the need for them to be “extremely sensitive and careful about what they post”.
Headford parish priest Fr Ray Flaherty has told of how the community has been “totally numbed and shocked into disbelief”.
Speaking on Morning Ireland, Fr Flaherty cautioned people to be careful of what they say. “Sometimes we say the wrong thing.” It was better for people to “be there” for the families.
When young people died like this in tragic circumstances they would always be remembered as a young person, he said. “We think we’re invincible, but lives can be taken in tragic circumstances.”
Local representative Cllr Andrew Reddington said the whole community had been traumatised by the incident and there is a sense of heartache for the two families who were well-known and respected.
Cllr Reddington also urged the community to be mindful and for parents to be aware of what their children were posting online.
The families of Kirsty and Lucas needed to be given the space to grieve their children. “The families need the time to grieve.”
The tragedy was “one of the worst incidents I remember happening in the area”, he added. The “massive” school served all the adjoining parishes in the area which made the school community very close. “It’s going to be extra tough in the next few weeks.’
