The classmates and friends of the four young people who died in Friday night's crash in Clonmel will need support in the weeks and months ahead, a specialist in children's grief counselling has said.
Sr Helen Culhane, the founder and CEO of the Children's Grief Centre in Limerick, said the shock of the tragedy will affect different people in different ways, so talking, hugging and giving hope is going to help support them.
Nicole Murphy, Zoey Coffey, Grace McSweeney, and her brother Luke died in the single-vehicle crash.
Nicole, Zoey and Grace, who were all aged 18, had received their Leaving Cert results earlier on Friday and were being driven by 24-year-old Luke to meet friends in Clonmel for a planned trip to Carlow and a celebration event.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Sr Helen said parents might be worried that their child is not showing signs of grieving, but people grieve differently.
"Some will want to talk, some will want to sleep, some will want to listen to music and some will want to walk on a beach, but it's about being open to where they are at".
In terms of the symptoms of grief, Sr Helen said it could be withdrawal, tummy aches, nightmares, sadness, confusion and guilt.
"All these feelings are normal and it's important they come to the surface".
Sr Helen said the classmates of the three girls who died will be moving on in the coming weeks to college or workplaces, and will need support.
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"At that young age to face a death ... at 18 and 19 you think no one is ever going to die. It's going to be important that there's sensitivity and understanding.
"It's being there for them - they won't be sad all the time, there will be ups and downs, like a wave, it'll go in and out but it's about having that understanding and to stay the journey with them ... not expecting that in six or 12 months they are going to be 'fine' because they won't," she said.
Friends of Grace and Zoey described them as being "joined at the hip".
Caoilfhionn Conway, Laura Cooney and Enya Gilligan, who were classmates of the girls at Presentation Secondary School, said it is hard to believe they are gone.
Speaking during the vigil in Clonmel yesterday evening, and wearing 'Class of 2023' hoodies, which were designed by Zoey, they described her as someone who "cracked a joke at everything".
"Her friends were everything, she put everyone before herself. She was such an organiser, if it was your birthday she would have the message typed out and sent at 12.01am," they said.
Grace, they said, was "such a comforting person, when you spoke to her there was such a calm energy about her".
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"Zoey lit up every room she walked in. She was the life and soul of the party. She was like a mammy to us all if we ever needed anything we would go to her," said Enya, who added that Grace was "the hardest working person I think I’ve ever met in my life"
The three girls said that they have not even contemplated their Leaving Cert results since Friday.
"It just proves that family, friends, your health, are everything. If it went your way, if it didn’t go your way, at the end of the day, all we need is each other. It puts things into perspective. Life is too short to be worrying about a few numbers of a piece of paper.
"This [Friday] is meant to be the best day of their lives and it took a turn for the worst. For us all, we’ll never remember this as the day we got our results, we’ll remember it as the day we lost four amazing people in our community".
