Tributes are being paid after three young people killed in a crash in Co Carlow on Wednesday night have been named locally.
Friends Daryl Culbert (21), from Kiltegan, Co Wicklow; Michael Kelly (25), from Nurney, Co Carlow; and Katie Graham (19), from Arles, Co Laois, died in the crash on the N80 at Leagh, between Graiguenaspiddoge and Kelllistown, at around 11.30pm on Wednesday.
A fourth occupant of the car, a man in his 20s, was seriously injured in the crash. He was taken from the scene to St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny and has subsequently been transferred to the Mater Hospital in Dublin.
Gardaí said his injuries were serious but not life-threatening.
Hundreds of messages of condolence have been paid tribute to the three friends who died, with people offering their “heartfelt condolences to the Culbert, Kelly and Graham families”.
The bodies of the three deceased have been brought to University Hospital Waterford, where post-mortem examinations will be carried out on Saturday.
It is understood the car left the road and crashed into a tree while travelling in the direction of Carlow town.
A number of fatal incidents have occurred along the same stretch of road, with numerous calls being made for the route to be improved.
The N80 at Leagh was closed for much of Thursday while a forensic examination of the crash scene was carried out, but the route has since reopened to traffic.
Garda Superintendent Andy Farrell from Carlow Garda Station said the scene was one of the “most severe” he has ever attended, describing it as “really, really traumatic”.
Gardaí continue to appeal for anyone who witnessed the crash to come forward.
