Staff and students at a college in Co Limerick are said to be "numb" following the deaths of two young men in a crash last night.
Darragh Dullea from Co Cork and Cillian Kirwan from Co Kilkenny were passengers in a car that crashed on the N69 near Askeaton in Co Limerick.
They were second-year students at the nearby Salesian Agricultural College in Pallaskenry, where the principal said they had a great life ahead of them.
Two others were also injured after the car they were all travelling in crashed into a wall on the N69 at Ballyengland at around 7.25pm yesterday.
The driver and another passenger in the car, both men aged in their late teens, were taken to UHL with non-life threatening injuries.
The road was closed for a technical examination today.
Principal of the Salesian Agricultural College Derek O'Donoghue said: "Staff and students are numb this morning following the tragic accident last night.
"All occupants were not alone students here in Salesian Agricultural College, on the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) Higher Cert in Agricultural Mechanisation course, but were also residential which is an even tighter student body.
"TUS student counselling support services are currently here in the college meeting students and staff."
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr O'Donoghue said the deaths came as a "massive shock".
"We haven't experienced anything like this, and it has been not alone a shock last night, but really sinking today".
Mr O’Donoghue said there was a "a sense of numbness in the college".
He said the two students had been in the "final stretch of their two-year course" with great career prospects and a life ahead of them that had "unfortunately for two cut very short last night".
He said the TUS Student Support Service was available to students and staff on campus, adding that the service will continue to be available in the days and weeks ahead.
The deaths of the two young men brings the number of people who have died on Irish roads since the beginning of the year to 32, according to garda figures.
Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses, particularly any road users who were travelling in the area at the time and who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) to contact Askeaton Garda Station on 061-601630 or any garda station.
