Up to four people have been killed and four more injured, including a seven-year-old child, following a head-on collision on the M9 motorway in County Kildare, Ireland. The crash occurred on the M9 Northbound between Junctions 3 and 4 at approximately 3am on Sunday, 16 August 2026.
One of the two vehicles involved was being driven the wrong way down the motorway and collided with another car carrying four people. Two women in their 30s were left in a critical condition, while another woman in her 20s and a child aged seven are also in hospital in a serious condition.
Family among the injured
The three women and the child, all in one car, are believed to be members of the same family. The car, a Hyundai, was driving the correct way on the motorway, according to the Irish Times. The car carrying the people who were killed was a BMW.
Both sides of the M9 at the crash scene remain closed as Gardaí carry out a technical examination. Garda Forensic Collision Investigators are attending the incident.
Appeal for witnesses and dash cam footage
Gardaí are urging anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has information pertinent to the investigation to come forward. They are also asking anyone who was travelling in the area around the time of the crash who may have dash cam footage to make it available to investigators.
A Garda spokesperson said: "Gardaí in Athy are investigating all the circumstances of a fatal road traffic collision that occurred on the M9 Northbound at Junction 3 in the early hours of this morning, Sunday 16th August 2026, at approximately 3:00 am. Gardaí and emergency services were alerted to a vehicle travelling southbound on the northbound carriageway of the M9. The vehicle was driving on the M9 between junctions 3 and 4 when a head-on collision occurred with a second car. A number of fatalities have occurred, and no further details are available at this time."
Gardaí are appealing to road users who were travelling on the M9 northbound or southbound between 2:00 am and 3:00 am this morning, Sunday 16th August 2026, and who may have dashcam footage of the incident or the surrounding area, to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Athy Garda Station on 01 666 6000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
