Two people who died in a road traffic accident involving a collision between a car and a jeep near Tralee, Co Kerry, were members of a popular musical group. They had been travelling to their home after a performance in Tralee shortly after midnight on Sunday.
They were named by gardaí last night. The driver of the car was Ms Carol Muir (35), from Castlegregory, originally from Motherwell in Scotland, and her partner, Mr Chris Walsh (50), also of Castlegregory but originally from Dungarvan, Co Waterford.
Mr Walsh was a back-seat passenger in the car, a Volkswagen Passat.
The accident occurred at a bad bend on the N86 near the village of Blennerville, outside Tralee.
The third person in the car, a man in his 30s, from Northumberland, England, was injured in the accident.
He was taken to Tralee General Hospital but his injuries are not life-threatening.
All three were musicians with the folk group "Scots Clan" and had been living in the seaside village of Castlegregory for over a year.
Popular among locals, they played and sang in bars in Castlegregory and in Tralee.
The jeep involved in the collision was travelling towards Tralee.
The driver of the jeep, its only occupant, was not seriously injured, according to gardaí.
Yesterday, locals in Castlegregory were shaken by the news. They recalled the woman's clear voice and said she was a wonderful singer of a mixture of folk and traditional songs.
"They will be badly missed around here. They were very well liked," said Mr Michael Ferriter.
Ms Mary Ferriter said everyone was very sad and upset.
Mr Eamonn O'Sullivan, of the Town and Country bar in Tralee, said everyone in the bar was "very upset".
"They were very talented, very lovely people and they had a great following from the Camp and Castlegregory area," he said.
Ms Muir played the mandolin, guitar and banjo with the band and her partner, Mr Walsh, played the spoons.
Family members were on their way to Castlegregory last night.