The three young people who died in Wednesday’s horror crash in County Carlow have been named.

Daryl Culbert of Kiltegan in County Wicklow, Katie Graham of Arles in County Laois and Michael Kelly of Nurney in County Carlow all died in the single vehicle collision took place at around 11.30PM on Wednesday.

They were all in their late teens and early 20s.

A man in his 20s, who was also in the car, was taken to hospital with serious injuries and has since been transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

Speaking outside Carlow Garda Station, Superintendent Anthony Farrell said he was shocked by what he had seen.

"It was a horrific scene," he said.

"An Garda Síochána attended the scene; we're very conscious of my members who are there and obviously we're [providing] all the welfare supports that are available to them.

"We are conscious of family and the impact of this particular tragedy on families - but also on the wider community.

"In my 25 years of service, it's probably one of the most severe cases that I've attended; it's was really, really traumatic."

'Just horrendous'

Tullow Councillor John McDonald is friends with the Culbert family and told Newstalk Breakfast the community is reeling from the news. 

“There’s three communities in shock, numb,” he said. 

“It’s just horrendous what’s happened.” 

Gardaí and an ambulance at a cordon at the scene of the crash. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

The road the friends were travelling on is known as a local blackspot and Cllr McDonald said it has become busier than ever in recent years. 

“It is a dangerous blackspot, that part of the road,” he said. 

“There have been numerous accidents there; there have been a few fatalities over the last few years as well. 

“It is the main road down to Rosslare, down to the Europort. 

“The traffic from the West and Midlands is all coming down that way and, since Brexit, there has been a significant increase of traffic on the road there.” 

Gardaí at the scene of the crash. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

Funeral details have yet to be announced but Cllr McDonald said once they are, the community will rally around the bereaved. 

“They will come together but at the moment, it’s just numb and there are no arrangements or anything yet,” he said. 

“It’s just waiting at the moment but everyone is in shock.” 

So far this year, 18 people have died on Irish roads - a slightly higher figure than in the first month of 2023, when there were 16 road traffic fatalities.

Main image: Scene of the Carlow car crash. Picture by: RollingNews.ie