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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Erika Sassone

Gardaí probe whether worrying social media 'dare' trend played part in fatal Galway crash

Gardaí are examining phone records relating to the teenagers killed in Easter Monday's horror road crash in Co Galway.

They are probing whether or not a dangerous 'car dare trend' from social media was involved in the fatal incident which claimed the lives on Kirsty Bohan and Lukas Joyce, both aged 14.

Gardai are continuing to investigate the incident as it is not clear yet how the four teenagers got access to the car and how the collision occurred.

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It is understood the phones of the two young victims were found at the scene and will be examined as they could help reveal what happened that morning. Also, the phones might reveal if online ‘challenges’ played a part in the incident, according to the Irish Daily Mail.

A source told Galway Beo: "The 'car dare challenge' has become extremely popular on TikTok among young people and has also become a common theme among secondary school children around the west of Ireland. Separately, several tribute videos were posted on the same platform after the teenagers' deaths by friends which showed different photos stitched together to make videos."

Popular trends have been circulating on social media daring teenagers to participate in dangerous challenges. For example, one of them involves swerving your car to the rhythm of a song.

However, there is no indication that the four teenagers were participating in any online challenge on Monday morning.

The four friends were in the single-vehicle crash at around 5.45am on Monday morning, April 10. Emergency services raced to the crash site on the L6127 at Glennagarraun, Ballyfruit where the car is believed to have hit a tree.

Lukas was tragically pronounced dead at the scene while the other three occupants of the car were taken to University Hospital Galway, where Kirsty was later pronounced dead. The two other occupants, a 13-year old boy and a 14-year old girl, are being treated in hospital for multiple injuries.

The funeral of Kirsty Bohan will take place in Headford on Friday.

Kirsty Bohan, a second year student at Presentation College Headford, will be laid to rest in Donaghpatrick Cemetery following her requiem mass at the Church of St Patrick and Cuana at 12 noon.

Kirsty, from Ballyfruit close to where the single vehicle accident happened at 5.45am on Monday morning, is survived by her parents Christy and Theresa, and her sisters Martha and Ava, who are also students at Presentation College Headford.

Kirsty will repose at Ryders Funeral Home in Headford (H91R2V6) on Thursday from 4pm to 7pm. Funeral details for the other 14-year old killed in the accident, Lukas Joyce from Annaghdown, have yet to be announced.

Lukas will be buried a day later on Friday. He will be laid to rest in Annaghdown cemetery following requiem mass at noon in St Brendan’s Church, Annaghdown.

Speaking to RTE News, acting principal of Presentation College Headford, Orla Jackson described the two students as "beautiful young people" who had a "huge circle of friends".

Orla Jackson said: "They loved school, both of them, and we loved their presence in our school.

"They were very treasured members of our school community. They had a huge circle of friends.

"We as a team knew them very well to see on the corridor because they were two particularly pleasant and smiling youngsters and their faces are imprinted in my brain.

"They were beautiful young people with a future in front of them that unfortunately has been cut short and that is the real tragedy here."

Presentation College opened on Tuesday for a three-hour period to offer support to students following the tragedy.

In a statement, the school said: "We have lost two treasured members of our school community and two other members of our community are injured. We pray for all the families and friends of those involved that they may be granted some peace and succour at this tragic time.

"We also pray for our own school community, that we may find the strength to support each other and carry on. We ask for your support, prayers and the space to grieve as a school community."

Meanwhile Headford councillor Andrew Reddington paid tribute in a statement on Monday which read: "We are all thinking of the two families who have lost their beloved children. A dark cloud has descended on the entire community.

"Everyone is thinking of the families of the young people who died this morning and we are praying for those who are in the hospital. We will come together as a community to support the families, but we ask that everyone respect the families who are grieving the loss of their children."

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