Tributes paid to two teen girls killed on their way to school debs

Tributes have been paid to two teenage girls who lost their lives last night in a devastating car crash in Co. Monaghan.

The girls, who were aged 16 and 17, were passengers in the car they were travelling in when it crashed on the Clones to Smithborough Road.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident, which happened at around 6:45pm. The driver of the car, a man in his 60s, is in a critical condition at Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

An 18-year-old girl is also in a critical condition in Cavan General Hospital, while an 18-year-old male is being treated for less serious injuries in Cavan.

The identities of the victims have yet to be released to the public.

The teenagers were on their way to attend the class of 2023’s debs celebrations at Largy College in Clones when the crash occurred. The debs ball was cancelled in the wake of the tragic losses, and the school stayed open late last night (July 31) to support the shocked students and families.

Many tributes have begun to pour in, including from the Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two young girls who have lost their lives and with those who are very seriously injured in hospital, I can just say the entire community…has just been knocked by this. You know, this was a Debs night for Largy College. It should have been a night of celebration, and a kind of coming of age for these young people and it just turned into their families’ worst possible nightmare,” she stated.

Sharon Magennis, the principal of Largy College, has also paid tribute to the two students, writing: “It is with profound sadness and grief that we have learned about the devastating accident that resulted in the untimely and tragic loss of two cherished members of our school community.”

“The other individuals involved in the accident also remain in our thoughts and prayers at this time,” she added.

Commuters are advised to avoid the N54 as Gardaí continue to investigate the accident.