The deaths of two teenage girls in a road crash while on their way to a Debs ball in Co Monaghan has been described as an "unimaginable tragedy".
The two girls died and three others were injured when the car they were travelling in crashed into a tree.
The incident occurred on the N54 at Legnakelly, 3km northeast of Clones, shortly before 7pm yesterday.
The two girls who died have been named as 17-year-old Kiea McCann and 16-year-old Dlava Mohamed.
In death notices posted online this evening, their families said the girls were best friends who died alongside each other.
Their bodies were removed to Monaghan General Hospital, where post-mortem examinations have been completed.
Gardaí have said the families of both girls are shocked and devastated.
Superintendent Patrick O'Connell extended his sympathies to the families, adding that they are "suffering from shock and trauma".
"They were at the scene last night, so they're trying to deal with the aftermath," he said.
Superintendent O’Connell was giving an update on the investigation outside Clones Garda Station this evening.
A family liaison officer has been appointed to each family and gardaí say their focus is on supporting the families and the community at this stage.
Authorities have appealed for privacy and peace for the families at this time.
Superintendent O’Connell described the scene of the single vehicle collision as "harrowing".
"Having attended the scene last night, it was particularly harrowing, particularly the chaos that emanates when such an incident happens," he said.
"The fire service, the ambulance service were particularly brilliant. Without them we wouldn’t have been able to manage this incident."
Superintendent O'Connell said the incident was "extremely traumatic" for the local community of Clones and Monaghan and thanked all of the first responders and the members of the public who stopped to give assistance at the time of the crash.
The scene of the crash on the N54 at Legnakelly on the main Clones to Smithborough Road has now reopened this evening, following the car’s removal earlier today.
There have been a number of collisions on that particular stretch of road in the past and that will form part of the garda investigation.
A senior investigating officer has also been appointed and an incident room has been set up at Monaghan Garda Station.
Three injured
Four teenagers, who attended Largy College in Clones, were being driven to a Debs ball at the time of the crash.
A 18-year-old girl is in a critical but stable condition at Cavan General Hospital.
An 18-year-old boy is being treated at the same hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
A 60-year-old man, who was driving the car, is in a critical condition and is being treated at Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.
'Priority now welfare of students, parents and staff'
Principal of Largy College Sharon Magennis said students and staff are in "deep shock" over the tragedy.
Extending her sympathies to the families and friends "who have tragically lost loved ones", Ms Magennis said the other people involved in the incident "also remain in our thoughts and prayers at this time".
She said the "priority now is the well-being and welfare of the students, parents and staff at this difficult time. The Largy College Critical Incident Team has met to coordinate a response and to enact the Critical Incident Plan.
"We are grateful to the public for their deeply felt expression of support and ask that we be given the time and space to concentrate on supporting those in the school community who are most in need."
In a Facebook post, Largy College said staff, in collaboration with a psychologist, will be available in the school to offer support.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Minister for Social Protection and TD for Cavan-Monaghan Heather Humphreys said the deaths of the teenagers is an "unimaginable tragedy" and "the entire community in Clones, Killeevan and the Smithborough area has just been numbed by this".
She said: "This was a Debs night for Largy College [in Clones]. It should have been a night of celebration and a kind of coming of age for these young people and it has just turned into their families' worst possible nightmare."
Ms Humphreys said the youth centre in Clones is providing support and Largy College, along with Cavan-Monaghan Education and Training Board, will be providing support to students over the coming days and weeks.
She added: "None of us ever know what's around the corner. And I know a lot of parents across the country will hear this news today, and I know that they're holding their children extra tight because it really is every parent's worst nightmare."
She said that people in the area are shocked.
"The children were going to the Debs ... and it's unbelievable that this could happen, such a night of celebration is turned into such a tragedy," the minister said.
Additional reporting PA
