- The mother of one of the teenagers who died in a head-on collision on the M9 motorway more than a week ago has apologised to the families who were injured in the incident.
- Before the mass, Jack's mother Sarah told mourners that five young boys "made a bad choice" and paid the "ultimate price".
- Sarah expressed condolences to the families of Joey, Alex, Jeremy, and Kamil, and apologized to the injured families, saying "Five young boys made a bad choice. Five young boys paid the ultimate price. Five families lost their babies. Five families got a life sentence. May all rest in peace."
- Canon Frank McEvoy, Team Assistant in the Parish of Athy, began his homily by saying "words can hurt, and words have the power to heal."
- Canon McEvoy described the parish feeling as "shock, confusion, disbelief, and above all, anger," warning that "Anger is a very dangerous emotion, and when it starts to curdle and get going in the community, anything can happen."
- Canon McEvoy made a direct appeal to Jack Kennedy's friends and other young people engaged in dangerous driving, urging them to stop: "if you are considering continuing this criminal activity, will you please stop? Just one word: stop."
- Canon McEvoy warned of the consequences: "This is a family broken, and the consequences of that will happen to you too, for you yourself, for your families, the communities in which you live in, and then you will have the innocent victims, like the people who are in hospital trying to recover. There is no need for it. So again, I say to you, please, please, please, stop."
The mother of one of the teenagers killed in a tragic M9 crash has publicly apologized to the families of the victims and those injured in the incident. Speaking at her son Jack's funeral, she expressed her sorrow, stating, "Five young boys made a bad choice. Five young boys paid the ultimate price."34
She extended heartfelt condolences to the families of Joey, Alex, Jeremy, and Kamil, emphasizing the profound loss felt by all involved. “Five families lost their babies. Five families got a life sentence,” she lamented, highlighting the irreversible impact of the accident.
The crash occurred when the teenagers drove down the wrong side of the M9 motorway, resulting in their deaths and leaving four individuals in the other vehicle—three sisters and a seven-year-old boy—critically or seriously injured. “We pray to God that you all make a full recovery,” she added, addressing the injured families directly.
Canon Frank McEvoy, who officiated the funeral, spoke of the community's shock and anger, urging young people to reconsider dangerous driving behaviors. He warned, “If you are considering continuing this criminal activity, will you please stop?” He emphasized the devastating consequences of reckless driving, not just for the victims but for the families and communities involved.
The tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of reckless driving and the lasting impact it can have on families and communities.
“Canon Frank McEvoy, Team Assistant in the Parish of Athy, warned that anger in the community is dangerous, saying 'anything can happen.' He directly appealed to Jack's friends to stop dangerous driving, urging 'Just one word: stop.'”
