Tragedy on the L3168: Five Young Lives Lost
A community is in mourning after five young people lost their lives in a devastating two-vehicle crash in County Louth on Saturday night. The fatal collision occurred on the L3168 at Gibstown, shortly after 9pm, claiming the lives of three men and two women, all in their early twenties.
The young adults have been formally identified by the police. They are Chloe McGee, 23, and Shay Duffy, 21, both from Carrickmacross; Alan McCluskey, 23, and Dillon Commins, 23, both from Drumconrath; and Chloe Hipson, 21, from Lanarkshire in Scotland. The five friends were travelling in a Volkswagen Golf, believed to have been on their way to Dundalk for a night out, when the incident happened.
Emergency Response and Ongoing Investigation
The collision involved the Volkswagen Golf and a Toyota Landcruiser. Tragically, all five occupants of the Golf were pronounced dead at the scene. A sixth person, a man in his 20s who was also in the Volkswagen, was taken to hospital. Gardai have confirmed he is being treated for injuries that are not life-threatening.
Additionally, a man and a woman from the Toyota Landcruiser were transported to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for medical treatment.
Superintendent Charlie Armstrong, speaking near the scene on Sunday, expressed his profound condolences. He described the response from An Garda Siochana, Dundalk Fire Brigade, and HSE paramedics as a major incident operation carried out in very difficult, adverse weather conditions.
The scene on the L3168 at Gibstown remains closed as Garda forensic collision investigators conduct a detailed technical examination. Post-mortem examinations are also scheduled to take place.
A Nation in Mourning
The shocking event has cast a pall of grief across Ireland and beyond. Ireland's deputy premier, Simon Harris, stated that a 'veil of deep sadness and shock' had come over the country. He extended his thoughts and prayers to the families, friends, and communities of the deceased, paying tribute to the emergency services for their work in 'the most harrowing of situations'.
Superintendent Armstrong echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the deep impact this tragedy will have on the communities in Carrickmacross, Drumconrath, and in Scotland. He has issued an appeal for information, urging anyone who was on the L3168 between 8.30pm and 9.15pm on Saturday, November 15, 2025, or anyone with relevant camera footage, to contact the investigation team at Dundalk Garda Station.
