Grief expressed by Clonmel community is 'nearly unbearable' - President Michael D Higgins

The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, has called the grief expressed by the Clonmel community as "nearly unbearable". 

His comments come after four young people lost their lives in a traffic collision which occurred on the Mountain Road yesterday evening (August 25). 

In his statement, President Higgins said, "The hearts of all parents and relatives, indeed the whole community, will have gone out to the families of Zoey Coffey, Nicole Murphy and Luke and Grace McSweeney, who lost their lives in a traffic accident in Co Tipperary last night.

"The grief that has been expressed by the community is nearly unbearable and I send my deepest sympathies to their families, their whole community, those in their year in school and the whole school, it's pupils and management." 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also expressed his sympathies to the families in a post on social media earlier today (August 26). 

He said, "It is with deep sadness that I learned of the tragic incident in Clonmel last night. Leaving Cert results night should mark the beginning of a world of opportunities for young people. It’s a milestone on the road from childhood to adulthood.

"For young lives, so full of possibility, to be cut short in this way is truly devastating and heartbreaking. The whole nation mourns them. My sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have died and the wider community in Clonmel and Tipperary.

"The thoughts of the whole country are with them, their school and their community. I am assured that the school authorities and HSE will work together to put in place the necessary supports for their classmates and community. We must come together in times such as this."