A Co Limerick agricultural college is in mourning following the death of two of its students in a road crash on Tuesday evening 20 February.

Two further students of Salesian Agricultural College, Pallaskenry, were injured in the crash, which happened near Askeaton on the N69.

The four students were travelling in the same car, which collided with a wall at Ballyengland, one kilometre outside Askeaton and 10 minutes from Pallaskenry, at approximately 7.25pm.

Two passengers - a man in his 20s and a man in his late teens - were fatally injured.

The driver and another passenger, both men aged in their late teens, are receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

The four students had returned to Salesian Agricultural College in January, following a work placement, to continue the second year of their higher cert in agricultural mechanisation, which is run in conjunction with the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS, formally LIT).

Tribute

Principal of Salesian Agricultural College Derek O’Donoghue paid tribute to the two students who passed away and offered condolences on behalf of the college community to their families.

“They were your ordinary young people, only two years out from having done their Leaving Cert.

“This would be the second year of their two-year course, loads of opportunity available to them, and their lives were tragically cut short last night.

“Our condolences to the families of the two students who passed away.

“The two students who have been injured, we wish them a speedy recovery,” he said.

Residential students

The students, from different geographical areas of the country, boarded at the ag college.

“That makes them a closer-knit part of the college community here in Pallaskenry, even more so than a day student who comes and goes.

“That is not taking anything from a day student, but it is a bit like going to boarding school, the residential students are an even closer community,” O’Donoghue said.

TUS’s student counselling service is at Salesian Agricultural College this Wednesday to offer support to staff and students.

“Those support services will be available to staff and students on an ongoing basis over the days, weeks and months ahead,” said the principal.

Investigation

The road remains closed this Wednesday, with local diversions in place.

A technical examination is being carried out by Garda forensic collision investigators.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them.

Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and who were travelling in the area at the time, are asked to make this footage available to gardaí.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Askeaton Garda Station on 061-601 630 or any Garda station.