Investigations are continuing into a crash in County Kildare last night which claimed the lives of four young women.
Emergency services are still at the scene of the incident which happened near Athy shortly before 10 o'clock.
It's understood the women who died were college friends on their way back to university after the Christmas holidays, when their car collided with a van at Burtown, around 3 miles from Junction 3 on the M9.
Another woman in the car and two men travelling in the van were seriously hurt in the crash.
They were treated at the scene before being rushed to Naas General Hospital.
Efforts were being made late last night to contact the families of those who had lost their lives in the incident.
The road where the collision happened is expected to remain closed for much of the day – to facilitate a forensic examination.
Diversions are place and Gardaí are appealing for anyone who witnessed the accident to contact them at Athy.
