Three die in car crash

Three people died in a car smash in Co Monaghan today.

The crash happened on the main Dublin to Derry Road near Carrickmacross at about 3.30am.

Two men and a woman were pronounced dead at the scene by local coroner Dr Mary Flanagan.

Their bodies were taken to Cavan General Hospital where post mortem examinations will be carried out later today.

One man was travelling in the northern-registered vehicle, while the other victims, a man and a woman, were in the locally registered vehicle.

“The names are not being released at the moment until relatives have been notified. We are aware of two of them and we are not 100% of the third one at the moment,” Mr Marks added.

It was later confirmed that a 36-year-old man and 42-year-old woman, both from Carrickmacross, were in one of the cars.

A 21-year-old man died in the second vehicle, which had a northern registration.

A garda patrol was close by at the time of the accident and was on the scene in minutes.