Car involved in Galway crash belonged to relative of teenage occupant

The car involved in the Co Galway crash in which two 14 year olds were fatally injured and two of their friends were seriously injured belonged to a relative of one of the occupants.

Lukas Joyce and Kirsty Bohan died in the single-vehicle collision at Glennagarraun in the Ballyfruit area of Headford. The car hit a tree by the roadside at about 5.45am on Monday.

A 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl who were in the vehicle continue to be treated in hospital. The boy’s condition is understood to have improved but the girl’s injuries are much more serious.

The vehicle and the crash scene have been examined in an effort to determine what led up to the crash.

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[ Headford crash: Garda hopes analysis of phones will yield information about circumstances ]

A source said vehicle theft is “not a factor in the investigation, in the normal meaning of that term”. Instead, gardaí believe one of the teens was driving a family member’s car without permission at the time.

Mobile phones found in the wreckage are also being examined, with sources saying that if any video content was created or messages sent via apps just before the crash, they may shed light on the lead-up to the incident.

Investigators have warned against speculation the children were involved in some kind of social media dare, saying that no evidence has emerged so far to support this.

The surviving teens are expected to be spoken to by specialist Garda interviewers when their condition allows for it.

[ ‘It is every parent’s worst nightmare’: Headford community left numb by crash tragedy ]

On Thursday evening, hundreds of people paid their respects to the family of Kirsty Bohan in Headford, who lay in repose in the north Galway town.

Mourners travelled to sympathise with parents Christy and Theresa and her older sisters Martha and Ava on the death of the 14-year old.

Sympathisers parked their cars on the outskirts of the town and walked to Ryder’s Funeral Home on Main Street in Headford throughout Thursday afternoon and evening. A pink and white floral tribute in the hearse greeted mourners as they arrived.

Volunteer stewards from the local community and members of An Garda Siochána helped keep traffic moving around the busy north Galway town.

Kirsty Bohan’s funeral mass will take place a few kilometres outside the town in the Church of St Patrick and Cuana at 12 noon on Friday. She will be laid to rest afterwards in nearby Donaghpatrick cemetery.

Meanwhile, Lukas Joyce from Farmstown, Corrandulla, will be laid to rest in Annaghdown cemetery following requiem mass at noon in St Brendan’s Church, Annaghdown, on Saturday.

Lukas, who is survived by his parents Joe and Neringa, his grandparents in Lithuania, Vitas and Zita Kelmeliene, aunt and uncles, will repose at Corrandulla Mortuary Chapel on Friday afternoon from 3- 6pm.