THE FUNERAL OF Jeremy “Bobbles” O’Brien (18), one of five teenagers killed in a wrong-way crash on the M9, took place today.

A small crowd attended the understated service in Askea, before a burial at St Mary’s Cemetery in Carlow town. Two garda cars were stationed at the church exit.

Jeremy, who was buried today, died alongside his cousin Alex McCarthy (16), as well as friends Joe Carthy (15), Kamil Pustkowski (17) and Jack Kennedy (17).

Alex and Joe were buried, and Kamil was cremated on Friday. Jack’s funeral will take place on Tuesday.

A child and three women, who were in the other car involved in the crash, are still in hospital.

They were on the way to Dublin Airport for a holiday when the car the teenage boys were travelling in drove the wrong way down the motorway and struck them head-on.

Speaking at today’s service for Jeremy at the Church of the Holy Family in Askea, Father Tom Little said the death of a young person “is always difficult to accept”.

“Today, our grief and sadness is made even heavier because this was an accident that affected not just one person alone. Several lives have been lost, and others have been seriously injured,” he said.

“There are people in hospital fighting to recover, and there are families who are beginning the painful journey of learning to live with an empty place at their table.”

The horse-drawn carriage carrying Jeremy's body Eoghan Dalton Eoghan Dalton

Jeremy’s brothers Jamie, Felix and Myles read prayers of the faithful.

Jamie told mass goers: “We pray for that god may welcome him to the joy of heaven. We pray for all those who were involved in the accident and we pray for all the family affected by the accident.”

Felix thanked emergency services who attended the incident.

He also said: “We pray for all road users that God may help us to be careful and respectful on the road.”

He added that they pray those in hospital may “make a speedy recovery”.

Jeremy’s body was taken to the cemetery in a black horse-drawn carriage.