Gardai were alerted to the scene in Ardee town where an elderly man driving a car collided with a lorry in the town, not far from The Church of Our Lady, where tragic Dylan Commins is set to be laid to rest
Police are dealing with a fatal collision near the funeral procession of one of the five youngsters who tragically died in last week’s devastating Louth crash.
Officers were called to Ardee town where an elderly motorist’s car smashed into a lorry, close to The Church of Our Lady where heartbroken Dylan Commins was due to be laid to rest today.
The man, believed to be in his 80s, was pronounced dead at the scene. Emergency crews and gardai have rushed to the location, which sits directly on the main route where the young man’s funeral cortège was scheduled to pass through.
The funeral procession has now had to take a different path, according to sources, reports the Irish Mirror.
Gardai confirmed in a statement: “Gardaí and emergency services are currently attending the scene of a road traffic incident that occurred on the Main Street of Ardee, Co. Louth this morning, Friday, 21st of November 2025.
“The Main Street of Ardee has been closed while emergency services continue to attend.”
The tragedy follows a weekend of devastation that claimed the lives of Alan McCluskey, 23, from Drumconrath, Co Meath, alongside his partner Chloe McGee, 23, from Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, Dylan Commins, 23, from Ardee, Co Louth, Shay Duffy, 21, from Carrickmacross and Chloe Hipson, 21, from Scotland when their Volkswagen Golf crashed into a Toyota Landcruiser near Dundalk last Saturday night.
Today, funerals will be held for two of the victims of the tragic road accident in Co Louth. A funeral mass for Mr McCluskey is set to take place at St Peter and Paul’s Church in Drumconrath at 10am today, followed by a burial in Drumconrath Cemetery.
“Alan will be forever remembered and greatly missed by his heartbroken family, parents Martin and Bernie, sisters Sharon, Tracey and Kellie, brothers-in-law Conleth McAlinden and Alan Wall, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of great friends,” reads a death notice for Mr McCluskey.
Mr Commins will be given a final farewell this afternoon. His body will be taken to the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady in Ardee at 1.15pm, with a funeral mass following at 2pm. He will then be laid to rest in Old St Mary’s Cemetery.
The death notice states: “Sadly missed by his heartbroken family, his parents Thomas and Denise, sisters Lauren and her partner Finn, Jessica and her partner Colm and Sarah, granny Sheila, aunts and uncles Brendan (Ann), Claire (John), Suzanne (John), Kitty (Gary), Margaret (Brian) and Denis (Aelish), cousins, relatives and his wide circle of trusted friends.”
On Saturday, a funeral mass for Ms McGee will take place at St Joseph’s Church in Carrickmacross at 11am. She will then be buried in St Joseph’s Cemetery.
Mr Duffy’s funeral will be held at St Patrick’s Church in Rockchapel at 1pm on Saturday, followed by a burial in the nearby cemetery.
A gathering for the loved ones of Ms Hipson was held at Quinn’s Funeral Homes in Dundalk on Wednesday evening. Hundreds of people participated in vigils on Tuesday evening to remember the five young lives tragically cut short.
Three separate vigils took place in Ardee, Drumconrath and Aughnamullen.