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Mourners carrying the gold coffin of Joe Carthy outside St Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Athy, Co Kildare, today. RollingNews.ie
M9
Funerals held for three of the teenagers killed in wrong-way motorway crash
Joe Carthy, Alex McCarthy and Kamil Pustkowski died when the car they were travelling in drove the wrong way down the motorway to evade gardaí and struck another car head-on.
LAST UPDATE | 21 Aug
FUNERALS WERE HELD today for three of the five teenagers who died in a wrong-way crash on the M9 last weekend.
Members of An Garda Síochána had a visible presence around all three services amid outcry over the circumstances of the crash and concern for possible disorder.
Joe Carthy (15), Alex McCarthy (16) and Kamil Pustkowski (17) died when the car they were travelling in drove the wrong way down the motorway to evade gardaí and struck another car head-on.
A child and three women from the same family, who were in the other car, are being treated for serious injuries in hospital.
A vigil in support of the family, who were on the way to Dublin Airport for a holiday, is to take place this evening in Co Carlow.
A funeral mass for Alex McCarthy took place at the Church of the Holy Family in Askea, Co Carlow this afternoon, amid a significant garda presence in the area.
Garda checkpoints were in place on approaches to the town ahead of the service, while an Armed Support Unit vehicle and a number of gardaí on foot were also seen in the area. A garda speed van was positioned off the M9, while the garda helicopter was overhead around the time of the funeral.
Outside the church, large bouquets of flowers had been laid in the teenager’s memory, while music played from speakers as mourners gathered.
A large screen displayed photographs of the 16-year-old with friends and family.
His coffin arrived at the church in a white horse-drawn carriage. A large crowd turned out for the funeral.
Members of his family sat in the front pews during the service, with a number wearing white t-shirts bearing a photograph of Alex alongside his name and the words “The Boss”.
Delivering the homily, parish priest Fr Tom Little said it was “a day for compassion, for prayer, and for remembrance”.
“We are conscious that lives have been lost, others have been injured, and families have been left to carry the grief that is difficult to put into words,” Fr Little said.
“Tragic accidents can happen in seconds, and the results of it can last a lifetime.”
Fr Little added that such incidents could bring “a deep sense of shock, of anger, questions, regret, and even a sense of disbelief”.
He also spoke of those seriously injured in the collision and thanked the emergency services, doctors, nurses and ambulance staff who responded.
“We remember families on both sides of the accident to God in our prayer,” Fr Little said, adding that those gathered were bringing together emotions of “loss, of confusion, of sadness, of responsibility”.
Fr Little remembered a teenager who “was deeply loved by his family” and who “loved the outside life, nature”.
“He was very good with ponies, dogs, animals,” he said.
The teenager’s grandmother read the prayers of the faithful, which included prayers for her grandson, those who died in the crash, those who were injured and all the families affected.
One prayer also asked that people would “be careful and respectful on the road”.
Following the service, a number of sulky racers gathered outside the church before joining the funeral procession towards St Mary’s Cemetery.
Earlier, Joe’s Carthy’s funeral was held in Athy, Co Kildare.
The coffin arrived at the church on a white horse-drawn carriage. Mourners followed the coffin into the church, wearing white t-shirts depicting an image of the boy while others raised framed photographs.
The priest extended “sincere sympathy to Joe’s family”, adding: “We gather with sorrow in our hearts.”
Outside the service, a screen displayed pictures and videos while music played.
An Garda Síochána maintained checkpoints on the road into town, while officers were also present in the area around the church.
Limerick
In the afternoon, about 30 mourners attended Griffin’s Funeral Home where Kalim Pustkowski was reposed for about two hours.
Gardaí kept a discreet watching brief throughout the event at the Limerick City undertakers.
Kamil’s coffin was draped with a simple white floral bouquet and a message from his family.
A priest led Kamil’s family and friends in prayers around his coffin at the undertakers, before the teen’s remains were brought to a waiting black hearse at around 2.20pm.
The hearse carrying his remains left the Limerick funeral home directly for Shannon Crematorium, Shannon, Co Clare, where Kamil’s cremation was to take place.
With additional reporting from David Raleigh and PA.
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