Faces of three sisters from Carlow left with catastrophic injuries after M9 crash that claimed five lives

These are the sisters who sustained catastrophic injuries after a gang of joyriders collided with them in a crash which claimed five lives.

Niamh and Alma Kinsella, who are in their 30s, are fighting for their lives in hospital after their car collided with a vehicle of joyriders who were driving the wrong way down the motorway in Co Kildare on Sunday.

Their sister Ella Hendricken, who is in her 20s, was also seriously injured in the crash - as was her young nephew when the BMW carrying the five boys collided with their Hyundai at a speed of more than 120km/h.

Niamh and Alma are understood to have been in the front of the vehicle while the child and Ella were in the back of the car when the horrific collision occurred near Moone shortly before 3am.

The innocent family, from the Graigecullen area of Co Carlow, are understood to have been on their way to Dublin Airport where they were making their way to a wedding abroad.

Locals said the family are well known in the area and described them as "lovely" and "quiet." Ella is understood to have been working as a social worker in Carlow, while Niamh is understood to be a PE teacher at a local school.

Niamh and Alma are understood to remain in a critical condition in Tallaght Hospital while Ella is in St Vincents Hospital in a serious condition. The young boy is being treated for injuries at Crumlin Childrens Hospital.

Speaking to the Irish Mirror, Carlow Parish Priest Fr Thomas Little, who has spoken to affected families, said: "The families of the ones that were hurt are hoping to God that they make a speedy recovery. The community is praying for them and we remembered them in our Masses since the car accident.

"Those that have lost loved ones are bereft and regret that it has ever happened," he added. "Theres no doubt a horrendous accident and the emergency services and the guards and hospitals have responded as best they can to the circumstances."

The crash which shocked the nation claimed the lives of Jeremy O'Brien, 18, from Carlow; Alex McCarthy, 17, from Carlow; and Joey Carthy, 15, from Athy;, Kildare; Jack Kennedy, 17, also from Athy and Kamil Pustkowski, 17, from Limerick.

The carnage has sparked outrage and led to calls for new laws to stem a new tide of joyriding and a social media trend of cars being driven the wrong way on the countrys motorways.

And the Garda Representative Association (GRA) has now spoken out about the need for officers to receive the proper training to be able to legally pursue vehicles that are engaged in this kind of criminal behaviour.

As it stands the organisation says no officers have the required CBT training to legally pursue a vehicle. Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan has said that gardai will be trained in pursuits in the coming months - but it is thought officers wont be trained until at least next year.

Speaking to the Irish Mirror, GRA rep Garda John Joe OConnell, who represents his colleagues in Co Kildare, said unfortunately it has taken a tragedy for the government to wake up to the reality on the ground.

"From our point of view these incidents of dangerous driving and reckless behaviour is not new. Weve been calling for years - up to eight to 10 years in relation to pursuit training.

"We warned about this so now yes any proposals of training courses, legislation and support for our members is very welcome. But training isnt going to happen next week or next month. Its going to be well into 2027 before a handful of our members are trained in this," he said.

Garda OConnell, who works in Co Kildare where many of his colleagues attended Sundays horrific scene, said legislation could be drawn up to prevent officers from being prosecuted simply for doing their job and pursuing criminals on the road.

"So we have members who are subject to a disciplinary investigation when what they were trying to do is their job by stopping e-scooters or scramblers or a car. Something can be done now to allow our members to intervene without the fear of being criminally prosecuted themselves."

Garda OConnell said it is frustrating to members of the GRA that it has sadly taken another tragedy for action to be talked about.

"These are things we have been talking about for years and sadly it takes a tragedy for a politician to stand up on the soap box and make announcements. We are looking for more than announcements now. We are looking for action in relation to pursuit training. We are here to engage with senior garda management, the Department of Justice, Transport, whatever government officials have an interest in this field," he said.

Meanwhile, gardai continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash, while Fiosru, the Garda Siochana Ombudsman, is also examining Garda contact with the BMW before the collision.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he was "shocked and saddened" at the tragedy, which he described as being the result of "an irresponsible and dangerous act".

Mr Martin said such incidents are, in some cases, "being done for likes on social media". He said: "This is the second appalling crash we've seen on our roads in a matter of days as a result of the reckless driving of a car on the wrong side of the motorway, endangering the lives of innocent road users."

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