M9 crash vigil to be held in Carlow for injured sisters and young boy

A GoFundMe page to support the three sisters Alma Kinsella, Niamh Kinsella, and Ella Hendricken and the seven-year-old boy who was injured in the M9 crash has exceeded €500k.

A vigil will take place in Graiguecullen, Co Carlow, on Friday evening to show community support for sisters Alma and Niamh Kinsella, Ella Hendricken and a seven-year-old boy who were all seriously injured in a crash on the M9.

The crash took place on Sunday morning when a BMW carrying five teenagers was driven on the wrong side of the road and crashed. All five teenagers died in the crash.

Two of the sisters were initially hospitalised in a critical condition, but are now understood to be in a serious but stable condition.

All four remain in hospital undergoing treatment for serious injuries. The seven-year-old boy is believed to have suffered leg injuries.

Parish priest Fr John Dunphy told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland that the vigil was an opportunity for the whole community “to show their support to the young ladies and the young boy and their families and I think the community is very anxious to do that.”

He said people in the community wanted to support the family, through a spiritual exercise as well as materially through a GoFundMe account.

“We've been praying at all our masses since the news broke last Sunday morning, as has every other parish in Ireland and beyond as well,” Fr Dunphy said.

 

A Go-Fund Me page set up for the sisters and child has already raised more than €500,000.

“I’m setting up this fundraiser for my best friend Ella and her sisters, Niamh and Alma, who were recently involved in a serious road traffic accident,” said Ms Hendricken’s friend Bryan Curley, who set up the GoFundMe.

“This has been an incredibly difficult and frightening time for Ella, Niamh, Alma and their family.

“They are facing a long and challenging road ahead, and right now, I ask that you keep them all in your thoughts and prayers "

Fr Dunphy said Friday’s vigil was being organised to allow people to pray as a group and as a community.

He also paid tribute to the five teenagers who died in the crash, saying their families would also need the community’s prayers and support.

“All deaths as a result of accidents are tragic. This is a real tragic situation. I suppose now that the dust has settled a little bit, I think people do realise that those boys have parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins and they too are hurting and they do need our prayers and we will be remembering them in our prayers as well,” Fr Dunphy said.

The vigil will be livestreamed so people can participate online.