Three sisters, aged in their 20s and 30s, and a young boy were left seriously injured when a car travelling the wrong way down the M9 in Co Kildare crashed into them
18:04, 14 Sep 2026Updated 18:55, 14 Sep 2026
The scene of the crash on the M9 in Co Kildare(Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire)
Three sisters seriously injured in a car crash that killed five teenagers on the M9 have shared an emotional update after describing the past few weeks as “incredibly difficult”.
Sisters Ella Hendricken, Niamh Kinsella and Alma Kinsella, aged in their 20s and 30s, were travelling with a seven-year-old boy when a BMW being driven the wrong way down on the motorway in Co Kildare hit their vehicle head-on in the early hours of August 16.
The family had been heading to Dublin Airport for a holiday. The sisters said they are continuing to recover, are “getting stronger” and are taking things “one day at a time”.
Five teenagers who were in the BMW died at the scene of the collision, with their funerals taking place in the days after the crash.
The teenagers were Alex McCarthy, 16, and Jeremy O’Brien, 18, both from Carlow, Joey Carthy, 15, and Jack Kennedy, 17, both from Athy, and Kamil Pustkowski, 17, who lived in Dublin and Limerick.
A GoFundMe launched by a friend of one of the injured women has so far raised over 820,000 euro (£700,000).
L-R: Ella Hendricken, Niamh Kinsella and Alma Kinsella were injured in the crash
In a online post, the sisters said they wanted to share an update and thank the public as they revealed they were “getting stronger” each day.
“We are continuing to take things one day at a time and are getting stronger as the days go by,” they said in a joint statement.
“We’re incredibly grateful for all the kindness, messages and support that have been shown to us and our family.
“The past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for all of us, but the support we’ve received from so many people has meant more than we could ever put into words.
“To every person who has donated, shared the fundraiser, sent a message or simply kept us and our family in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.
“The generosity and kindness shown to us has been overwhelming, and we are incredibly grateful. For now, we’re continuing to focus on getting stronger and taking each day as it comes.
“With all our thanks, Ella, Niamh and Alma.”
The organiser of the GoFundMe page said all donations will be going directly to the family, who are facing a “long and challenging road ahead.”