M9 Motorway Tragedy, Alex, Jeremy and Joey McCarthy Among Five Teenagers Killed in Horrific Crash.
Alex McCarthy, Jeremy McCarthy and Joey McCarthy are being remembered among five teenagers who tragically lost their lives in a devastating collision on the M9 motorway near Moone, County Kildare, Ireland, on Sunday, August 16, 2026. Gardaí confirmed that five teenagers travelling in a BMW were killed when the vehicle, travelling in the wrong direction on the motorway, crashed head-on into a Hyundai carrying four people.
The heartbreaking collision happened shortly after 3 a.m. between Junction 3 and Junction 4. Emergency services were alerted after reports that a vehicle was travelling southbound on the northbound carriageway. The BMW then collided with the Hyundai, resulting in catastrophic damage and the deaths of all five teenagers inside the BMW.
The victims’ bodies were removed from the scene and taken to Naas General Hospital, where post-mortem examinations were expected to take place. At the time of the investigation, authorities were working to formally establish the identities of those who died and notify their families.
The Hyundai was carrying three adult women and a seven-year-old child who were reportedly travelling toward Dublin Airport. All four occupants survived but suffered serious injuries. Two women in their 30s were taken to Tallaght University Hospital in critical condition. A woman in her 20s was taken to St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny with serious injuries, while the child was brought to Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin.
Gardaí said the BMW had failed to stop for Gardaí before entering the motorway in the wrong direction. Because there had been Garda contact with the vehicle before the fatal crash, the incident was referred to Fiosrú, Ireland’s independent police watchdog. An investigator attended the scene as part of the independent investigation.
The M9 was closed between Junctions 3 and 4 while Garda forensic collision investigators examined the scene. Gardaí also appealed to motorists who travelled on the M9 between approximately 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. to provide dashcam footage or information that could assist the investigation.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly described the collision as horrific and condemned dangerous wrong-way driving, warning about the devastating consequences such behaviour can have on innocent road users.
The tragedy has left families, friends and communities mourning five young lives taken far too soon.
May Alex McCarthy, Jeremy McCarthy and Joey McCarthy, along with the two other teenagers who lost their lives, rest in eternal peace. 🕊️💙 May their families find strength and comfort during this heartbreaking time.
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