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18 Nov 2025
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18 Nov 2025
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A vigil is held at Sean McDermott's GFC in Mountrush, Ardee. Pics: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Hundreds gathered at Sean McDermotts GFC tonight for a candlelit vigil honouring the five young adults killed in a devastating crash outside Dundalk, as neighbouring communities across Meath and Monaghan held similar tributes.
Rev Dermot Clarke, Deacon Parish of Haggardstown and Blackrock, was in attendance and led the candlelight service.
Those present prayed for those who died that had “so much to live for” as well as those still recovering in hospital.
Rev Clarke said the community had gathered in “shock, grief and confused hearts”.
He said the vigil meant “a lot to everyone here”, and showed solidarity to the affected families.
“As a club, as a community, as a parish, we all are one together.”
In prayer, he added: “We ask you to keep everyone safe and in your love as we approach Christmas, a special time for young children, and when we will have families who have people missing from the table this year, we ask you to give them strength and hope.”
Three separate vigils were arranged in Ardee; Drumconrath, Co Meath; and Aughnamullen, Co Monaghan; to pay tribute to the deceased.
The victims in the crash were: Chloe McGee, 23, and Shay Duffy, 21, both from Carrickmacross in Co Monaghan; Alan McCluskey, 23, from Drumconrath in Co Meath; Dylan Commins, 23, from Ardee in Co Louth; and Chloe Hipson, 21, from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
They were travelling together in a Volkswagen Golf while on their way to Dundalk for a night out when they died in the crash on Saturday.
A sixth person who was in the car, also aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
Two other people were also injured in what gardai described as a “shocking and devastating” crash.
The incident, which involved the Golf and a Toyota Land Cruiser, happened on the Ardee Road near Dundalk just after 9pm.
Rev Dermot Clarke, Deacon of the parish of Haggardstown and Blackrock, speaks during a vigil at Sean McDermott's GFC in Mountrush
Post-mortem examinations of the deceased have now been completed and their remains have been released to their families.
The sixth occupant of the Volkswagen Golf, a man in his 20s, has been discharged from hospital.
The two occupants of the Toyota Landcruiser, a man and a woman in their 20s, remain in hospital where they continue to receive medical treatment for non-life threatening injuries.
At Drumconrath Gaelic Football Club, hundreds gathered with candles and mobile flashlights for a vigil on a cold, dark, and windy night.
The club’s flag was flown at half mast as prayers were offered to the McCluskey family, the others injured and killed in the crash as well as the emergency services who responded to the scene.
Some of those gathered wiped away tears as songs were played in tribute to those affected while the congregation also said a decade of the rosary.
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Fr Finian Connaughton told the Drumconrath grouping that they were just “one community of five communities in a state of shock”.
He said while people may feel that there is nothing that can be done, this is not true as the community coming together was an expression of support to those affected.
He said he was confident that the McCluskeys and other affected families are “very well aware” that people are gathering and praying for them.
A table carrying photographs of Alan McCluskey was also on display.
Meanwhile, gardai continue to investigate all the circumstances behind the crash and issued a renewed witness appeal.
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