Mum of teen killed in M9 crash apologises to injured family as priest delivers warning at son’s funeral
The mother of one of the teenage boys who died after a car was driven the wrong way down an Irish motorway apologised to the family who were injured in the crash at her son’s funeral.
Jack Kennedy, 17, was in a BMW alongside Kamil Pustkowski, 17, Jeremy O’Brien, 18, Joe Carthy, 15, and 16–year–old Alex McCarthy on 16 August when it hit another car head-on.
The five teens were killed, and sisters Niamh and Alma Kinsella, and Ella Hendricken, and Alma's seven-year-old son, Yemi, who were the occupants of the other car sustained serious injuries and remain in hospital.
Today (24 August) Kennedy’s funeral took place at Michael’s church in Athy, County Kildare with loved ones turning out to take part in a solemn procession through the town.
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During the service, Kennedy’s mum Sarah apologised to the family in the other car.
“Five young boys made a bad choice,” she said. “Five young boys paid the ultimate price. Five families lost their babies. Five families got a life sentence. May they all rest in peace.
“Secondly, we all want to send our deepest, heartfelt apologies to the families who were injured. You are all in our thoughts and our prayers. We pray to God that you all make a full recovery and once again, we are sorry.”
Priest warns of 'consequences for criminal activity'
In his eulogy Canon Frank McEvoy referenced the outpouring of anger that had been shared across social media following the incident.
“Words can hurt, and words have the power to heal,” he said.
“It's also true of actions. Our actions can hurt people, and our actions can heal people.
“In all those situations, we're responsible for the words that we use, and above all, we're responsible for the actions that we take.
“Anger is a very dangerous emotion, and when it starts to curdle and get going in the community, anything can happen.
“When you watch social media and you watch the responses and you hear what people are saying, that's the result of bad actions and very often, then, in all of that, there's so much hurt created for the family.
“Sarah put it so well, she doesn't wish any of you to walk in her shoes, to have to bury her son. There's no great future in all of that.”
He went on to urge those ‘considering criminal activity’ to ‘just stop’.
“And again, as I say, the dust has settled somewhat, and the week has passed by, there is something I want to say, and especially to Jack's friends, and it's this – if you're considering continuing this criminal activity, will you please stop?
“Just one word, stop. Because this is the end of it.
“This is a family broken, and the consequences of that will happen to you too, for you yourself, for your families, the communities in which you live in, and then you'll have the innocent victims, like the people who are in hospital trying to recover.
“There is no need for it. So again, I say to you, please, please, please, stop.”
"I wish my son had never got into that car"
At the weekend, mum of Jeremy O'Brien, Margaret Berry, also shared an apology to the family hurt in the crash.
"I wish my son had never got into that car," she told The Sun.
"My heart goes out to this poor family and if I could see them I would apologise. I have said prayers for them and I hope to God that they can heal."
Berry added: "This tragedy should never have happened. I am not proud of what happened and I don’t condone what they did. I wish my son had never got into that car.
"I also hope one day that the family who remain in hospital can find some kind of forgiveness some day. I will continue to pray for them.
"My son and those other boys didn’t set out that night to intentionally hurt people and my heart will always break for everyone who’s involved in this nightmare."
Claire Reid