5 youngsters who died after their automotive ploughed right into a household on an Irish motorway had posted clips of themselves driving dangerously and evading police within the days earlier than the crash.
The boys who died after their stolen BMW smashed right into a Hyundai carrying two ladies of their 30s, one of their 20s and a seven-year-old baby on Sunday had been ‘terrorising’ a number of communities with break-ins and automotive robberies over the earlier fortnight.
The youngsters, aged between 15 and 18, have been named as Joey Carthy, Alex McCarthy, Jeremy O’Brien, Jack Kennedy and Kamil Pustkowski.
They died within the two-car collision on the M9, in County Kildare, on Sunday morning.
The group had been suspected of a number of automotive thefts and burglaries, in addition to different critical anti-social actions throughout the Kildare and Carlow areas for at the very least the previous two weeks.
They typically posted movies of themselves being chased by gardaí. One video shared earlier than their deaths filmed the rearview mirror of a automotive and was captioned with the phrases, ‘unsuitable method’.
In a clip posted on TikTok, Kamil Pustkowski could be seen taking part in loud music and shouting as he movies the reflection in his wing mirror, which reveals the flashing blue lights of a police automotive chasing after him.
Pustkowski is heard saying ‘that is a sick video boys’ as he makes an attempt to flee the pursuing Garda. The video is captioned: ‘They received rammed rise up. Cupra smoked,’ which is slang for ‘escaped’.
In a separate publish, {the teenager} could be seen shakily filming his dashboard because the speedometer will increase.
And in different footage, Pustkowski movies out the view from the rear windscreen of a automotive as police once more give chase with flashing blue lights. The video is captioned: ‘No panic zone right here.’
In the meantime, in different social media exercise reviewed by the Day by day Mail, one of many different boys, Jack Kennedy, has posted photos of himself smoking marijuana and carrying balaclavas.
Kamil Pustkowski, one of many 5 youngsters killed on the M9 on Sunday, had posted movies of himself in police chases
In these movies, he would boast that he was outrunning the pursuing cops
In different footage, Pustkowski could be seen filming the speedometer rising as he speeds down the street
Kamil Pustkowski was one in all 5 youngsters to die within the collision. One video posted in tribute to Pustkowski confirmed a person finishing up harmful manoeuvres in a automobile with the remark, ‘this one’s for you, Kamil’
Joey Carthy additionally died within the crash on the M9 motorway. In a social media tribute, somebody revealed an image of a balaclava with the caption: ‘Your bally (sic) you gave me the opposite day. My coronary heart’s in bits. Please, man. Do not do that to us, Joe.’
It comes after the Irish justice minister Jim O’Callaghan warned on Monday that criminals driving the unsuitable method down motorways will ‘find yourself in jail or within the grave’.
Mr O’Callaghan additionally stated he was severely contemplating new laws to create a selected offence for individuals who drive the unsuitable method down a motorway and promised that pursuit coaching for gardaí will start this 12 months.
The Mail has since confirmed the youngsters beforehand shared photos of the instruments they used to steal the autos. The high-powered BMW they had been driving on the evening of the horror smash had been stolen earlier that evening and was noticed in a number of areas close to Kildare earlier than the crash.
Gardaí are assured the identical group of younger males had carried out a housebreaking within the space simply hours earlier than they died.
Garda investigators are additionally probing whether or not they had been a part of plenty of tried automotive robberies in the identical area over the course of the evening.
All 5 of the useless youngsters had been carrying masks when gardaí stumbled on the grisly crash scene.
Associates of the youngsters posted photos of the younger males carrying balaclavas and driving automobiles at harmful speeds.
One video posted in tribute to Pustkowski confirmed a person finishing up harmful manoeuvres in a automobile with the remark, ‘this one’s for you, Kamil’.
In one other social media publish, somebody revealed an image of a balaclava with the caption: ‘Your bally (sic) you gave me the opposite day. My coronary heart’s in bits. Please, man. Do not do that to us, Joe.’
Safety sources informed how the 5 kids had been a part of a rising group of youngsters who’ve been making an attempt to ‘one up’ one another by posting an increasing number of harmful movies on social media.
‘These younger guys have been terrorising communities for weeks if not longer,’ a supply informed the Mail. ‘They exit and goal automobiles they imagine do not have immobilisers after which exit joyriding.
‘More often than not they had been carrying masks or balaclavas however at instances they’d present their faces. They didn’t care in the event that they had been caught as they knew they had been underage and that there was little the courts system might do with them.’
The supply added: ‘I need to be clear right here. These lads weren’t the one ones who’ve carried out issues of this nature.
‘It is turning into a rising social media pattern and it has been a nightmare for gardaí to police as a result of they’re typically ordered to face down from pursuits due to the hazard that chasing these guys might put the general public in.
‘It is a no-win scenario for Gardaí right here and now you might have 4 harmless individuals who have been injured due to this recklessness.’
A Carlow priest who had been chatting with households affected by the crash stated there may be an environment of ‘unhappiness’ and ‘disbelief’ in the neighborhood, however there may be additionally ‘hope’ for individuals who have been damage.
Father Tom Little informed RTÉ’s Information at One: ‘It makes us realise, too, the hazard of the roads and the should be cautious.’
4 individuals within the second automobile – together with a seven-year-old boy – had been severely injured. The harmless victims had been all from the identical household and on their method to Dublin Airport to get a flight to England for a household marriage ceremony.
Sisters Alma and Niamh Kinsella, each of their 30s, had been within the entrance of the automotive.
Their sister, Ellie Hendricken – who’s in her 20s – was within the again together with her nephew. All 4 had been nonetheless being handled in hospital final evening with extreme accidents.
A faculty principal in Carlow stated the city is ‘numb’. Fergal Browne, principal of St Joseph’s Nationwide Faculty, who can be a Advantageous Gael councillor, informed RTÉ’s Information At One: ‘There’s an enormous vary of feelings. This can be a tragedy on so many ranges and it should take a very long time to recuperate from.
‘Persons are pondering of the household who had been concerned within the crash on the best way to the airport, and everyone seems to be hoping they’re going to make full recoveries and, clearly, the households of the individuals who handed away are grieving they usually’ve a protracted troublesome journey forward of them as nicely.’
Mr Browne stated he knew one of many boys who died as he was a previous pupil.
5 teenage boys, all carrying balaclavas, had been killed within the head-on collision as they drove south up the northbound carriageway on the M9 in County Kildare, Eire
A forensic collision examination will happen whereas police examine the circumstances of the head-on crash
Alex McCarthy was one of many 5 boys who died within the collision in County Kildare on Sunday morning
![Jeremy O'Brien was one of five teenagers to lose his life in the collision. His cousin wrote in tribute: 'RIP to my cousin. [He] was like a brother. [May] God give you the bed in heaven, you'll be missed.'](https://i.dailymail.com/1s/2026/08/18/10/110678465-16060309-Jeremy_O_Brien_was_one_of_five_teenagers_to_lose_his_life_in_the-a-12_1787044164326.jpg)
Jeremy O’Brien was one in all 5 youngsters to lose his life within the collision. His cousin wrote in tribute: ‘RIP to my cousin. [He] was like a brother. [May] God provide the mattress in heaven, you may be missed.’
Jack Kennedy was the fifth teenage boy to lose his life within the crash yesterday
Quite a lot of suitcases had been seen subsequent to the household’s automotive certain for a visit to Dublin Airport to fly to the UK for a marriage. All 4 occupants are nonetheless being handled in hospital
A household pal stated of useless teen Joe Carthy: ‘Solely a child along with his entire life forward of him, most mannered little boy you had been Joey.
‘Too good for this massive merciless world, watch over my James he is heartbroken over you. Your poor father and mom, Joey.
‘Please God give them this power to get by way of this. Relaxation straightforward champ.’
A pal of Kamil Pustkowski wrote: ‘My coronary heart is damaged, you are gonna be missed a lot by everybody. Relaxation in paradise, God goes to provide the greatest mattress up there.’
A cousin of Jeremy O’Brien stated: ‘RIP to my cousin. [He] was like a brother. [May] God provide the mattress in heaven, you may be missed.’
Gardaí are trying to confirm whether or not the boys are a part of the ‘Fortunate Dip’ housebreaking and car-theft gang in Dublin.
Publish-mortem examinations will quickly be carried out to ascertain a reason behind loss of life.
The Fortunate Dip gang began as only one group of youngsters who induced issues within the Dublin area for the previous 18 months. Since its emergence, a number of related teams have shaped.
They’re completely different teams of youngsters coming collectively to ‘present the others, if you are able to do this, we are able to do it higher’ the supply informed the Mail.
They added: ‘It is a race to the underside and I do know now we have 5 younger males not going residence to their households however there are 4 harmless individuals in hospital right here as nicely and now we have to want them a full and speedy restoration.
‘Laws is required. Be that stronger penalties for younger individuals concerned on this behaviour. Or else we have to have a look at the mother and father.
‘There are 5 useless who’re youngsters underneath the legislation. It is as much as the mother and father to ensure they’re being cared for.’
The thuggish tradition has been steadily rising for the final three years, gardaí have stated.
The weekend earlier than this newest crash, 9 individuals had been injured in a head-on collision on the M50 in Dublin with a automotive additionally travelling within the unsuitable course on the motorway.
In an announcement following the a number of fatalities, Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly stated on Sunday: ‘My ideas are with these injured on this morning’s collision on the M9.
‘These members of the family had been travelling innocently after they had been struck by a automobile being pushed the unsuitable method down the motorway.
‘This horrific incident, following the latest collision on the M50, reveals how irresponsible and harmful driving on the unsuitable facet of the motorway is.
‘That, in fact, ought to be self-evident, however what makes this reckless behaviour much more appalling is that in some instances it’s being carried out for social media likes whatever the doubtlessly devastating affect it might need on harmless individuals and themselves.’
John Joe O’Connell, the GRA vice-president, stated yesterday: ‘This concerned a stolen BMW that drove, making an attempt to evade gardaí, drove the unsuitable method down the M9 after which a head-on collision occurred with this automotive of a household heading to Dublin Airport on holidays for a couple of days.’
Mr O’Connell stated the BMW had earlier did not cease for gardaí and it was his understanding that an instruction was given to not have interaction with the automobile because it travelled the unsuitable method down the M9.
Requested if this was normal process, he informed RTÉ’s Morning Eire: ‘It might be normal apply, and the command and management centre could be dictating what occurs in a reside setting.’
He added: ‘The members within the automobiles should make a split-second resolution.’
Mr O’Connell stated that there have been ‘quite a few gangs’ of boys and younger males who had been all ‘making an attempt to outdo one another’ by streaming movies on social media depicting interactions with the gardaí, and displaying harmful pursuits and wrong-way driving.
