TWO MEN were killed and four other people were injured, three critically, in a three-car collision near Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, yesterday evening.
Two children, who were passengers, were also brought to hospital for preliminary check-ups in the wake of the fatal collision on the N2, at Nurebeg, two miles outside Carrickmacross on the Ardee side.
Emergency services faced hazardous weather conditions in dealing with the crash, which was reported to gardaí shortly before 7pm.
The identity and age of those who died has not yet been confirmed.
Gardaí have confirmed that the two men who died and two other men who were critically injured were in one vehicle.
A couple in the second vehicle were also injured, the woman critically and the man seriously.
A man and woman and their two children were in a third car. The adults were both injured while their children were given preliminary checkups.
A fire tender and three ambulances were called to the scene and the deceased and injured were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
The N2 at the Carrickmacross bypass remained closed to traffic last night and was expected to remain closed overnight until a technical examination of the scene was completed.
Meanwhile, gardaí have named the man killed in a fatal road crash in Co Wicklow in the early hours of Christmas morning.
Patrick Murphy (41), Greenview Apartment, The Brook, Arklow, was struck by a van as he walked on the southbound lane of the N11 dual-carriageway at Coynes Cross, near Ashford, at 1.20am.
A 21-year-old man was arrested after he subsequently contacted gardaí about the incident. He was taken to Gorey Garda station but was later released.
Gardaí are trying to establish what happened and are appealing to people to come forward if they witnessed the incident or saw the man, or the van, on the road before the accident happened.