Five dead, three injured in Ireland crash; leaders mourn ‘harrowing’ tragedy

Harrowing night on Irish roads

At least five people were killed and three others injured after a serious collision involving two vehicles in County Louth, Irish police confirmed on Sunday. The incident occurred at around 9pm on Saturday.

The Guardian quoted police as saying that the five victims – three men and two women – were travelling towards Dundalk when their Volkswagen Golf collided with a Toyota Land Cruiser on the Ardee Road at Gibstown. A sixth occupant of the Golf, a male, survived and was receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries on Sunday. The two occupants of the Land Cruiser, also a male and a female, were being treated for similar non-life-threatening injuries.

Ireland’s taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said he was “numbed and shocked” by the scale of the tragedy. The tánaiste, Simon Harris, said a “veil of deep sadness has come over our country” as he paid tribute to first responders. “One cannot even imagine the extraordinarily difficult and tragic circumstances in which they found themselves working last night as they set about trying to help in the most harrowing of situations.”

Irish police have appealed for witnesses and urged anyone who may have dashcam footage from the area between 8.30pm and 9.15pm on Saturday to come forward.

Superintendent Charlie Armstrong of Dundalk Garda Station said: “Last night members of An Garda Siochana supported by other emergency services including Dundalk Fire Brigade, HSE Paramedics and staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda initiated a major incident response.

“I want to acknowledge and express my gratitude to my colleagues in An Garda Siochana and the other emergency service who attended the scene last night,” he said, adding, “I am appealing to any person who might have any camera footage or images from the L3168, Gibstown area between 8.30pm and 9.15pm, last night Saturday 15th November 2025 to give that footage or images to the investigation team at Dundalk Garda Station.”

The Guardian also quoted Superintendent Liam Geraghty as saying: “The events that occurred here last night again are a very clear reminder of how things can change dramatically on our roads in a split second, and the tragedy that brings to families, communities and loved ones.” He noted that 157 people have been killed on Irish roads so far this year, an increase on the same period last year.