A teenager killed in a head-on motorway crash in Ireland was "adored and cherished", his family have said. Alex McCarthy, 16, was one of five joyriders who died instantly on the M9 in Co Kildare in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The high-powered BMW he was in was driven the wrong way down the motorway into the path of an oncoming family, leaving three sisters and a seven-year-old boy catastrophically injured.
Family's Tribute
On Wednesday, a death notice was posted online by his relatives. The notice, on RIP.ie, reads: "Alex McCarthy, Carlow, passed away suddenly on 16 August 2026, aged 16 years. Deeply loved by his heartbroken mother Lucelle and father Edward. Adored brother of Jordan, Edward, Donna and Nakita. Cherished grandson of Tina Roycroft and William and Mary McCarthy."
It adds: "Alex will be sadly missed by parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, loving and heartbroken girlfriend Georgia, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, extended family, relatives and friends. May Alex's soul rest in peace." His funeral details will be released in time.
Crash Details
Alex died alongside 15-year-old Joe Carthy, 17-year-olds Jack Kennedy and Kamil Pustkowski, and 18-year-old Jeremy O'Brien when they smashed into a Hyundai en route to Dublin Airport. Sisters Niamh Kinsella and Alma Kinsella, who are in their 30s, are fighting for their lives in hospital after their car collided with the BMW. Sibling Ella Hendricken, in her 20s, was also seriously injured, as was her young nephew.
Niamh and Alma are understood to have been in the front of the vehicle while the child and Ella were in the back when the collision occurred near Moone shortly before 3am. The innocent family, from the Graigecullen area of Co Carlow, are understood to have been going to Dublin Airport for a wedding abroad.
Community Reaction
Locals described the family as "lovely" and "quiet". Ella is understood to have been working as a social worker in Carlow, while Niamh is understood to be a PE teacher at a school. The crash has sparked outrage and calls for new laws to address a rise in joyriding and a social media trend of cars being driven the wrong way on motorways.
