The funeral of M9 crash victim Jeremy O’Brien has taken place in Carlow today, August 24, with mourners gathering to remember the 18-year-old.
Jeremy, known as “Bobbles”, was the fourth of five teenage boys to be laid to rest following the devastating wrong-way collision on the M9 in Co Kildare on August 22.
The Carlow teenager was killed alongside his cousin Alex McCarthy, 16, also from Carlow, as well as Joe Carthy, 15, and Jack Kennedy, 17, both from Athy, Co Kildare, and Kamil Pustkowski, 17, from Limerick.
Joe Carthy was buried on Friday, while Kamil Pustkowski was cremated the same day. The funeral of Jack Kennedy is due to take place on Tuesday.
The five boys were killed in the early-morning collision when the BMW they were travelling in was driven on the wrong side of the motorway before crashing head-on into another car.
The other vehicle was carrying three sisters and a seven-year-old boy who were travelling to Dublin Airport ahead of a family wedding in the UK. Carlow women Niamh and Alma Kinsella, both in their 30s, and Ella Hendricken, who is in her 20s, remain in a serious condition in hospital. Alma's young son is also seriously ill.
The Irish Mirror reported that the innocent family had been travelling on the correct side of the motorway when they were struck by the BMW.
A small crowd gathered for Jeremy’s funeral Mass at the Church of the Holy Family in Askea on Monday morning.
His heartbroken mother Margaret was among the chief mourners, alongside his brothers Jamie, Felix, Myles and Vincent, grandparents Mary and Felix, uncles Patrick and Myles, cousins, extended family and friends.
A lone bagpiper led the funeral procession, with Jeremy’s coffin carried in a black horse-drawn hearse as his family and friends followed behind.
Speaking during the Mass, Father Tom Little acknowledged the circumstances surrounding the crash while urging mourners not to allow the tragedy to define the young people who died.
“We entrust our loved ones who have gone before us into the merciful hand of God, acknowledging that what the boys did was wrong,” he said.
“But we must not allow tragedy to become the whole story as we pray for those who were injured and those who have died.”
Fr Little said the death of a young person was particularly difficult to accept because of the hopes and dreams left unrealised.
“The death of a young person is always difficult to accept,” he said. “There is something especially sad about a young life being taken suddenly, unexpectedly, and before so many hopes and dreams have been realised.”
He said the impact of the crash had gone far beyond one family.
“Several lives have been lost, and others have been seriously injured. Families have been changed forever,” Fr Little said.
“There are people in hospitals fighting to recover, and there are families who are beginning the painful journey of learning to live with an empty place at their table.”
Fr Little also prayed for those injured in the crash, the families affected and the emergency services who attended the scene, as well as the doctors, nurses and ambulance staff caring for those in hospital.
Jeremy’s brothers also took part in the service.
Jamie, Felix and Myles read the prayers of the faithful, with Jamie asking for prayers for his brother and everyone affected by the collision.
“We pray for that God may welcome him to the joy of heaven. We pray for all those who were involved in the accident and we pray for all the family affected by the accident,” he said.
Felix thanked the emergency services who responded to the crash and also asked for prayers for road users.
“We pray for all road users that God may help us to be careful and respectful on the road,” he said.
He also prayed that those still in hospital would “make a speedy recovery”.
Following the funeral Mass, Jeremy was taken to St Mary's Cemetery in Carlow town for burial.
Two Garda cars were stationed near the church exit as mourners left the service.
The funeral comes as the families of all five teenagers begin to say goodbye to their loved ones, while the three women and young boy injured in the collision remain in hospital.
