Mullingar is in mourning after four young people from the town were involved in a horror crash while on holiday in Spain.
They have been named locally as brothers Ian and Mark McCullagh, Ian’s wife Amy McCullagh and Mark’s partner, Michaela Newcombe.
Mark McCullagh, Amy McCullagh and Michaela Newcombe were killed in the crash on Sunday morning.
Ian McCullagh, aged in his 30s, is in hospital in Malaga in a serious condition.
The car they were travelling in was in a crash with another vehicle and plunged some 100ft down a ravine off the A‑7 motorway in Malaga, Spain shortly after 2.30am on Sunday.
A 64-year-old woman travelling in the other car was treated at the scene by paramedics.
Local councillor Michael Dollard said that the four young people are from Mullingar town and that their families are well-known and respected locally.
“This is very sad news. It has generated a lot of gloom in Mullingar.
“It’s a huge shock. This tragic accident happened while they were on holidays and their young lives were suddenly cut short.
“It shows how fragile life is.”
The McCullagh boys are descended from boxing legend Maxie McCullagh, Mr Dollard said.
Michael ‘Maxie’ McCullagh competed for Ireland at the 1948 London Olympics in the men’s lightweight competition, reaching the quarter‑finals.
A year later, he made history when he became the first Irish boxer to win a European title outside Ireland, winning the European lightweight championship in Oslo.
The brothers and their partners left for Spain on a holiday together late last week.
Tributes have been made online to one of the deceased, Michaela Newcombe, who was described as “loving and caring”, “bubbly” and “such a beautiful young lady”.
The beauty salon where she worked in Mullingar was closed on Monday.
Minister of State and TD from Co Westmeath Robert Troy said he knows one of the families involved and said they received the “absolutely devastating” news on Sunday evening.
“I spoke to them yesterday and, needless to say, they’re absolutely devastated,” he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland on Monday.
“It’s the worst of phone calls to get, they only went on holidays at the end of last week.” He added: “Our thoughts are with that family and indeed all families affected and all we can do is hold them in our thoughts and prayers as they come to terms with this great loss.” He said that the local community was also “devastated” and “saddened” at the news.
A spokesperson for Andalucia’s regional emergency co-ordination centre confirmed the collision, which happened at around 2.38am.
The crash saw one vehicle plunge around 30 metres down a ravine while travelling to Almeria near the Cerrado de Calderón exit.
Emergency services were deployed to the incident, and Civil Guard officers and firefighters helped free those trapped.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is currently supporting those involved. In a statement to the Irish Examiner, it said:
“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of this incident in Spain, and is currently providing consular assistance to the families involved.
“The Department does not comment on the specifics of individual cases.”
Foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee has offered her condolences to the families.
“This is an absolutely devastating accident, devastating for all of the families involved,” Ms McEntee said.
“It is now important to identify how the fatal crash happened and to provide the consular support and assistance to all of the families involved, she said.
“We have a person who’s still critically ill and in hospital, and I really do wish them a recovery, and I hope that the recovery goes well,” Ms McEntee said.