Hundreds of people formed a guard of honour in Clones, Co Monaghan this evening, as the remains of Dlava Mohamed were returned to her family.
Tributes continue to be paid to 16-year-old Dlava and her best friend Kiea McCann, aged 17, who died in a road crash on Monday evening.
Kiea and Dlava died when the car they were travelling in left the N54 and crashed into a tree at the side of the road, just outside Clones.
They were among four teenagers being driven to a Debs ball in Monaghan town.
In a statement this afternoon, Largy College secondary school in Legarhill said that Dlava was a "gorgeous soul who radiated goodness" and a student who would "always have a warm smile and a gentle hello when she met you on the school corridor".
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The school said that Dlava expressed "such love and devotion to her beloved family" and showed "great loyalty and compassion" to her circle of friends.
"The Largy College school community is devastated by the tragic realisation that we will never witness the incredible potential of the amazing young woman she was destined to become, given her kind spirit and abundance of promise," the statement added.
The school said that Kiea was frequently described as "simply a lovely student to teach" and that throughout her years, she was "always pleasant and courteous to her teachers and fellow students".
They said she was a "friendly, kind and warm-hearted girl, who always demonstrated a willingness to support others" with a caring nature and a love for children.
"She was never afraid to give up her time to help her peers. This innate loyalty made her a very popular classmate," the statement added.
"The Largy College school community is heartbroken by the loss of Kiea, a lovely girl with immense potential and zest for life. It is truly heartbreaking that she will never get to see her dreams come true. The sadness is profound and deeply felt."
A funeral service for Dlava will take place at Clonskeagh Mosque in Dublin, at 10am tomorrow, followed by burial at the Newcastle Muslim Cemetery.
A bus service will operate to transport family and friends from Clones to Dublin for the funeral service.
A funeral mass for Kiea will take place at 2pm tomorrow at the Sacred Heart Chapel in Clones, followed by burial at Mount St Oliver's Cemetery.
The school will open a book of condolences for Keia and Dlava on Friday from 9am to 1pm.
Dlava's 18-year-old sister was also injured in the crash and taken to Cavan General Hospital. She was later transferred to a hospital in Dublin.
A 60-year-old man remains in a critical condition at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital, while an 18-year-old boy suffered non life-threatening injuries.
'Beautiful girls'
The principal of Largy College paid tribute to the two "beautiful girls" and "best friends".
Sharon Magennis said Dlava had just completed her Junior Certificate and was due to go into Transition Year.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she said: "Dlava will be a massive loss to our school community.
"Dlava was always smiling, she was gorgeous, so loyal and bubbly, and she was always very happy.
"She really had a goodness and she was just full of energy."
Ms Magennis said Kiea had completed the Leaving Certificate Applied programme.
"Kiea was pleasant and courteous," she said.
"She had a great love of children and she had hoped to go on to study childcare at third level, and now that is a dream that will just not be realised."
She said both girls were "absolutely integral" to the school community. "We're just heartbroken at this time," Ms Magennis said.
She said the two girls had been "best friends" since Dlava arrived in Clones in 2018 as part of a resettlement programme for Syrians.
"Words can't describe how our school, our community of Clones is feeling at this time."
She said taking students back from the Debs event into the school after the crash were the hardest minutes of her career.
"It was just a scene of utter heartbreak and devastation," she said.
'Deep gratitude'
The victims' families are said to be "hugely devastated" and suffering from shock in the aftermath of the crash.
Angela Graham, manager of the Clones Family Resource Centre, was asked by the Mohamed family to speak on their behalf.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, she said the family wanted to express their "their deep gratitude to the emergency services, to the gardaí, fire and ambulance services and they just feel overwhelmed and comforted by the support of the people in Clones.
"And the direct quote is 'we are all one family, this is what they feel we are all one family'.
"And they want to express their condolences to the McCann family on their great loss of their daughter too."
The scene on the N54 Clones to Smithborough road at Legnakelly was closed in the 24 hours after the crash for forensic examination, but reopened yesterday evening.
Read more:
Teenage best friends killed in Monaghan crash on way to Debs
Guard of honour in Clones for 17-year-old crash victim
People lined the streets of Clones yesterday evening to form a guard of honour for Kiea as her remains were removed from a funeral home in Monaghan town and brought to her home in Clones.
People stood on Monaghan Street and at the town square in Clones, The Diamond, as a mark of support for her family.
Ms Graham said that this evening the community will turn out in support for Dlava's family.
She said: "They did the same for the McCann family yesterday evening.
"They all gathered to show their support and their love and respect and their compassion for the great loss of the two young women, so this evening it will be specially for Dlava, as she comes home to the diamond in Clones this evening."
Additional reporting PA
