Community rallies around survivors of M9 horror crash as hundreds turn out for vigil

It has been a dark week in Carlow, but on Friday in St Clare’s Church in Graiguecullen, the light of hundreds of candles broke through that gloom. The community of Carlow and Graiguecullen were left numb after three adult sisters and a seven-year-old boy were critically injured in the crash on the M9 in Co Kildare. Ella Hendricken and Niamh and Alma Kinsella were travelling with the child to Dublin Airport on their way to a family wedding in England when the car they were in was hit head-on by a BMW being driven the wrong way down the M9 motorway in Kildare last Sunday morning. All four were taken to hospital for treatment, while five teenagers in the BMW were killed instantly. A prayer vigil for the injured women and child was held on Friday evening in the church near the Laois border. Hundreds filled St Clare’s, while others stood outside, and people tuned in to the live stream from all over the world. Father John Dunphy told the vigil: “We gather tonight, first of all, in prayer. And when a community comes together in prayer, it gives great strength.” Fr Dunphy said the hearts of the community had been numb since Sunday morning, but added that “our hearts too went out to” the affected 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.” He said the family had been in contact and thanked everyone for their prayers and support, and the emergency services and hospital staff who are going “way beyond the call of duty”. Fr Dunphy said: “They are absolutely overwhelmed by the support that they’ve been getting, and it gives them great strength and courage to keep fighting and keep going.” Bishop Denis Nulty said the community felt shock, as well as “maybe fear and grief”, as it gathered in solidarity and support for the family. He said they deserved the prayers offered, “particularly at a time when words fail and, indeed, when we feel helpless regarding what to do or where to turn to. It’s good to be together”. “The thing about it is that they could be any one of us on the road from Carlow to catch an early morning flight from Dublin Airport,” he added. Bishop Nulty said it was “only right that we gather and know how much this gathering will mean” to the affected family. He also thanked emergency personnel who arrived at the scene and medical staff who have cared for the family since the crash. He then turned his attention to those who had died in the crash, while urging people to be “careful” in social media posts about the incident. “We also remember the five boys in the car – that’s the Christian thing to do. They, too, have heartbroken parents, family and friends. We pray for them this evening,” he said. During the course of the service, four candles were lit on the altar – one for Alma, one for Niamh, one for Ella and one for the child. They were then used to light the candles held by the congregation.