Gardaí in Co Galway are still trying to establish the cause of an accident in which two young girls were killed near the village of Kilreekil yesterday afternoon.
The girls were named this afternoon as 12-year-olds Eman Ayadi and Aya Chenetti. Two other girls are in critical condition.
The girls were part of a group of 30 that was travelling to an adventure centre in Connemara on an outing organised by the Islamic Cultural Centre in Clonskeagh, Dublin.
This latest road tragedy occurred on a stretch of N6 that has been regarded as one of Galway's worst accident spots over the years.
Two girls died instantly in the collision. Five others - including the female driver of the car and a youth leader who was accompanying the girls - are still in hospital. Two are described as being critically ill.
One of the critically ill is in Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe, while the other was transferred overnight to Temple Street in Dublin.
The other three are said to be in a stable condition.
The families of the victims were being comforted early today by friends at the Dublin Islamic Cultural Centre.
President Mary McAleese also conveyed her condolences to the families involved.
Gardaí have begun a detailed forensic examination of the scene and have appealed to anybody who may be able to help establish the cause of the collision to contact them at Loughrea Garda Station.
