Hundreds attended a special vigil at St Clare’s Church in Graiguecullen yesterday evening, with the size of the crowd meaning some people had to gather in the parish centre to watch the service being streamed.
The injured family members — three women and a seven-year-old boy — were travelling to Dublin Airport when their vehicle was involved in a collision with a car travelling in the wrong direction along the M9.
They continue to receive hospital treatment for serious injuries.
A fundraising appeal launched in their support had collected more than €675,000 by yesterday evening, highlighting the scale of the response from the local community and beyond.
The service focused on prayer and recovery, with a candle-lighting ceremony forming part of the evening. The flame from a single candle was passed among those gathered, with smaller candles held by members of the congregation.
Bishop Denis Nulty told those attending that the crash had resonated deeply because the journey itself was familiar to so many people.
“The thing about it is, they could be any one of us on the road from Carlow to catch an early morning flight from Dublin Airport.”
He said the gathering was an opportunity for people to stand beside the family at a time when they could otherwise feel powerless.
The bishop said the community was experiencing “shock” and “maybe fear and grief”, but had come together in “solidarity”.
He also expressed his gratitude to the first responders who worked at the scene for hours following the collision.
Bishop Nulty urged people to show restraint when discussing the crash, particularly on social media.
“Words can hurt. But they also have the power to heal,” he said.
He warned that online comments can have lasting consequences, saying: “what is posted cannot be unposted”.
The bishop also included the occupants of the other vehicle in his prayers.
“We also remember the five boys in the [other] car and that's the Christian thing to do,” he said.
“They too have heartbroken parents, families and friends, we pray for them this evening.”
Fr John Dunphy said the past week had been extremely difficult for the community.
He described how people’s “hearts had been numb” since the crash, while saying the local response had been centred on supporting the injured family.
“We prayed that they will recover. We knew it would be a long road back. Thankfully, they're on that road and please God, they will make a full recovery.”
Fr Dunphy said the family had been in contact and wanted to express their gratitude for the support they have received.
He also praised the emergency services and hospital workers caring for the injured, saying medical staff had gone “way beyond the call of duty”.
The family, he said, were “absolutely overwhelmed by the support that they've been getting”.
He added that the generosity shown by the community was giving them “great strength and courage to keep fighting and keep going”.
