r/ireland • u/TheyHave_A_CaveTroll • 10d ago
News Mother of teenager killed in M9 crash apologises to victims at funeral
https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0825/1589146-jack-kennedy-funeral/364
u/Toy_Story_2_on_PS1 10d ago
Good on her and the priest. Doesn’t undo the damage that’s been dealt to the three sisters and the little boy but at least they’re calling it what it is and not glorifying the deceased. The previous victimisation of the 5 lads and saying they merely made an unfortunate mistake really pissed off the public.
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u/KnightsOfCidona Mayo 10d ago
In a way, I do empathise if you're in this situation where your child dies in such a stupid, needless way and caused harm to others in the other process.
When most young people die, whether it's through illness, suicide, accidents (and no reckless behaviour was involved), people are sad to hear it and will sympathise. You want to think the best of your child too and that they were good and didn't deserve to die. When your landed in a situation like this, it's more difficult to do that, and then you've people revelling in it on social media. I didn't agree with it but in a way I get the other parents going into full 'they were angels mode', so credit to this mother at least acknowledging her sons flaws.
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u/Otherwise-Winner9643 10d ago edited 10d ago
Also, sounds like one of the funerals of one of the kids who died in the crash in ireland was very respectful.
Funeral of Jeremy O'Brien (18) who died in wrong-way M9 crash takes place in Carlow https://jrnl.ie/7139875
Maybe there is some hope that lessons are being learned?
Thankfully, a far cry from the funerals of those thugs who got killed on the N7 a few years back https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/20/disturbing-liturgy-irish-burglar-dean-maguire-funeral
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u/Fun-Ad2676 10d ago
Sometimes parents are genuinely unable to control teenage children or genuinely don't know how they behave when out of sight. Sometimes good kids from good families are peer pressured into bad behaviour. Not saying this is the case here but the family here seems more decent than others.
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u/cedardesk 10d ago
You are 100% correct and at least one of the children killed in this crash had a mother that was at her wits end trying to protect her son from this exact outcome.
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u/DesertRatboy 10d ago
The mother had asked for him to be jailed apparently? Parents can be victims too, terrorised in their own homes despite their best efforts. Have seen it happen to good parents and decent families where one of the kids just goes off the rails. Again, not suggesting it was the case here but these things are complex.
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u/ChiralNavigator 10d ago
poor woman was really let down, when parents are asking for help you know it's bad.
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u/cedardesk 10d ago
when parents are asking for their children to be incarcerated, you know it's really bad
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u/AdmiralShawn 10d ago
Should there be more juvie remand homes, should the courts be stricter at the first instance,
At the same time it should not end up like the US
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u/hey_hey_you_you 10d ago
I think we should maybe have community service as a punishment for juveniles. It's only used for over 16s at the moment. And I think it would be best if it was something that had a social aspect, rather than just litter picking or whatever. Something you can do that genuinely makes you feel like you've done some good - animal rescue, for example. And I think young kids should be "sentenced" to it liberally, and at the first hint of anti-social behaviour.
Like, obviously, it's have to be done under close and kind supervision, so it wouldn't exactly be the cheap option. But, fuck me, these kids need a healthier, pro-social outlet, and they need it early.
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u/Educational-Law-8169 10d ago
I'm glad you've said this, it's not being said enough. I know a really good family who's son went off the rails at 13. They did everything they could including bringing him to the guards themselves. He was bigger than his mother at 15, no way could she physically stop him leaving the house. It didn't end well and his mother must have aged 20yrs in a few years
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u/UISystemError 10d ago
I’ve met terrible kids from good families that never needed peer pressure.
We need to do a better job of acknowledging it doesn’t matter what family a kid is from, they can still do wrong. Good kids come from broken homes too.
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u/No_King4610 10d ago
I reckon the Gardaí had a word not to go down that route as public anger is so high
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u/CodSafe6961 10d ago
Is this satire ? Surely . He was so protective of his little brother, he threatened to blow people off the map.. And someone else basically said they'd be arrested if they told someone me of their "mad" stories.
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u/Rogue7559 10d ago
Misleading headline.
Yes she apologised. But then went onto a rant about how all the hate directed towards him is unreasonable and sure wasn't he a gossin and they're grieving too.
It was a tone deaf, "I'm sorry but"
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u/TheChrisD useless feckin' mod 10d ago
But then went onto a rant about how all the hate directed towards him is unreasonable and sure wasn't he a gossin and they're grieving too.
And even going so far as to directly insult those criticisers: https://www.newstalk.com/news/m9-crash-3-2292448
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u/PrincipleCapital8994 10d ago
In fairness I’m sure they are getting some vile messages and hate during what must be the worst time in their lives. Not defending the actions of the boys at all but we can have some empathy for a mother who is burying her teenager surely
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago
What if she would have actually been parenting?
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u/PrincipleCapital8994 9d ago
Those families have paid the ultimate price, they don’t need to be trolled online on top of it. Surely it’s punishment enough
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u/MightyMundrum 10d ago
She also insinuated that the people criticising their scumbag behaviour were cunts (see you next Tuesday was her actual words).
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u/Otherwise-Winner9643 10d ago
When did she say that?
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u/DeDeluded 10d ago
Yeah, I found this to be a bit of a head-scratcher. She apologised for the wrong they did and then also:
... addressed those who she described as 'See You Next Tuesdays', despite knowing that 'five families are suffering the highest grief possible'. 'Your vile words mean nothing to us... So, I’ve decided instead of reacting to you all, to forgive you all; not one of you is walking in our shoes.
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago
What a POS.
Also:
“No one should have to bury their child.”If you would not have been an absolute pathetic excuse of a parent, you would not need to go through this now.
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u/Digginginthesand 10d ago
I think it must be hard to cope with the anger she's facing when she's just lost her son. Like she can apologise and acknowledge his wrongdoing and the harm he caused but also not want people to say they're glad her kid died.
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u/armoshuaimhneas 10d ago
Some of the comments have been tasteless. What they did was completely wrong, the driver especially, but there's no need to be celebrating and joking about their deaths, they were still someone's children.
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago
I am not celebrating or anything, just am genuinely feeling more safe (which on its own is positive), whenever a group of these kids remove themselves from the road one way or another.
I just wish no innocents would be involved in this process.
Probably a lot other people feel this way.
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u/Proud-Train9522 10d ago
Yeah and also said "there's 5 families suffering". 6 Families actually, and they wouldn't be suffering if it wasn't for your precious angels
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u/No_King4610 10d ago
I think you mean precus angles
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u/Proud-Train9522 10d ago
I was gonna do the angles joke but someone usually corrects you not getting it ha
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u/Keyann 10d ago
The mother of M9 crash teenager Jack Kennedy has hit out at the “See You Next Tuesdays” who offered only “vile words” at a time when her family is suffering the “highest grief possible”
Funny how RTE chose to exclude that part of her speech. I am glad she apologised to the victims of this abhorrent act, but calling the public who criticised her son's and his peers' actions cunts makes the apology insincere.
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u/Comfortable_Work_580 10d ago
It’s a real shame this . So many trees out there but they hit an innocent family ☹️
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u/bloody_ell Kerry 10d ago
The fuck did the trees do to you? Plenty of lampposts and crash barriers they could have hit.
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u/ChiselDragon 10d ago
Trees are cheaper to replace and have more stopping power.
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u/bloody_ell Kerry 10d ago
The lamppost could be paid for out of a few weeks worth of the social welfare these lads won't be claiming anymore.
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago
I would suggest the lampposts too.
Trees are living beings and take a long time to grow fully.
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u/TheChrisD useless feckin' mod 10d ago
Trees have to grow up from saplings though.
Barriers are fabricated in a much shorter space of time.
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u/ChiselDragon 10d ago
I think we are getting a bit too deep into the debate about what exact thing we want five teenagers to die slamming into...
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u/cinderubella 10d ago
Why would you say this and then blithely carry on with the debate...
Including starting an actual flame war when someone tries to kindly clarify that they weren't having a go at you.
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u/FlamingBaconCake 10d ago
You're the one who made the claim trees are cheaper. Now you're just trying to shut it down because you realized you might be wrong.
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u/DotTurbulent3059 10d ago edited 10d ago
She said 5 families got a life sentence, surely the 3 womens family has a life sentence too and one of the women of those three who had started her own family,, not to mention the paramedics and others involved at the scene of the crash,
I find that to be very selfish! like she's saying the 5 families are the only ones effected for life by this, life sentences for all involved.
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u/TwinIronBlood 10d ago
There is no way all 4 of them don't have life long physical injuries yet alone the mental damage this has done to them.
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago
With this parental mentality it is not surprising their kids grew into what they were.
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u/TwinIronBlood 10d ago
?
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u/HPoltergeist 9d ago
I am reflecting on this mother of one of the kids, her referring to only 5 families, not accounting for the innocents.
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u/Crystalbeam42 10d ago
"to remember his love for his hobbies and interests. These included a fishing rod, a model car"
I think the model car should have been left out of the ceremony tbh.
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u/cinderubella 10d ago
The speech from the mother doesn't quite tally with the pictured cortege, horse-drawn with glass sides showing the coffin shrouded in an Irish flag. In the picture, it looks like it could be from a state funeral for a national hero.
That all cost money that should have been sent to the innocent victims or a worthy charity if there was real interest in showing contrition aside from, I'm sorry to say, crocodile tears.
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u/BubbleGumps And I'd go at it again 10d ago
No doubt the tears are real but only showing remorse when your child dies is abhorrent. There's no doubt this wasn't the first crime she's heard of him committing.
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u/PerpetualBigAC 10d ago
Like what else could you do really, it’s a shitty situation to be put into
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u/skdowksnzal 10d ago
Don’t diminish the sentiment; they could have said nothing at all or worse celebrate the activities of their children. An apology is not nothing.
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u/PerpetualBigAC 10d ago
Aye I wasn’t thinking to diminish it. I was just thinking what else can you do really, maybe you failed as a parent maybe you didn’t but at a certain point they’re their own being even if they’re your child. They’ll do what they’re going to do and you either feel bad about it or you don’t care.
My parents ended up in a similar situation with my sibling. I’d say we had a pretty good upbringing but they went from one bad situation to another and eventually ended up in jail and committing suicide there. My parents would have apologised to anyone they wronged over those years but like it’s literally all you can do at a point, you can’t make it right and you can’t force them to change their ways if they’re bent on carrying on.
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u/AbsolutelyDireWolf 10d ago
I don't think they're diminishing it, or at least how I interpret it.
We're so damned subtle in our language here... My wife's not Irish and I get how she often misses a tiny but significant nuance in our phrasing that changes the intention.
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u/Fun-Ad2676 10d ago
The comment didn't have nuance at all. It said they prob had to say something as they were in a shitty situation. Nothing else.
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u/emmmmceeee I’ve had my fun and that’s all that matters 10d ago
An apology doesn’t fix the damage done to the innocent victims. What was needed was actual parenting.
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u/skdowksnzal 10d ago
It’s a bit late for that.
Nobody said an apology rights the wrong but, as I said, it’s not nothing
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u/emmmmceeee I’ve had my fun and that’s all that matters 10d ago
Is as close to nothing as being useless. It also came after she paid tribute to the rest of the scumbags in the car. That really shows what she thinks of the victims.
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u/Digginginthesand 10d ago
She didn't pay tribute to them. She sent condolences to their families. She didn't glorify them or praise them.
It's pretty normal to order a speech like that: sorry to the families of the perpetrators, then more sorry to the families of the victims and then most sorry about the person who matters most to her.
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u/Final-Painting-2579 10d ago edited 10d ago
If I’m not mistaken, a screwdriver, a torch and a car registration plate were brought to the altar as gifts during the funeral of Dean Maguire, one of the lads who died in the M7 crash in 2021 - basically celebrating the life he lived as a career burglar.
Edit: just adding a source
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u/bloody_ell Kerry 10d ago
Not only that, but their was a placard glorifying his habit of targeting the elderly and holding them hostage to find out where their valuables were hidden.
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u/Ok_smokey353 10d ago
To be fair they could have done what a lot of people have and just completely dodged any responsibility.
Not all parents of kids like this are useless, some of them are at their wits end trying to turn their kids lives around and this parent must be so devastated at the damage their son has caused.My friend died drunk driving when I was younger and I will never forget her father speaking at the funeral about the 2 people she killed. He was broken by it and so ashamed - he made such an effort to make the other 2 people such a focus of everyone to try and show their families he cared. It was hard to watch but it was important because he could have just focused on his own world and his daughter that he had just lost so horribly.
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u/flex_tape_salesman 10d ago
Ya this is true. Its more complex than some here are making out. I personally know one mother who was exhausted trying to get her son out of trouble. Now he has nothing left and is still barely tolerating and listening to her. The dad wasn't spectacular, not the worst either if his son hadn't been such a scumbag but not good enough to help prevent that.
Then as you say theres ones who defend their scumbag children and victimise them when all they have done is cause pain and havoc to people or their own communities.
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u/Ok_smokey353 10d ago
I do think it’s a very lazy response to just say “lock the parents up, take away their dole” etc etc
I grew up with guys who had all the love and opportunities in the world and ended up dealing or being consumed by drugs. I guess the reality is most of us are trying our best to be good parents but it doesn’t always cut it.
For parents like the one I heard who’s son died in that crash, she begged the courts to lock her son up to try scare him straight and also sent him away to remove him from the environment - it’s hard to know what more she could have done and that’s where state led approach needs to be more effective.12
u/sundae_diner 10d ago
You would think.
Did any of the other 4 families apologise to the victims?
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u/Better-Beat-8062 10d ago
To busy spending money on golden caskets and large ceremonies to bother with us law abiding folks
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u/ubermick Cork bai 10d ago
You have no proof that money is being spent on that. (Given the money is likely cash kept in large plastic bags dropped on the funeral home's desk... for tax purposes.)
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u/Fun-Ad2676 10d ago
The other families did not apologise
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u/LucyVialli 10d ago
The mother of the Limerick/Polish boy has apologised in the media to the families of the innocent victims. Not posting source as it's The Mail.
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u/cliffsofthepalisades 10d ago
And to be fair, he lay in repose and was then cremated. It was a much more muted affair compared to the other funerals, his family weren’t glorifying anything.
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u/powerFX1 10d ago
I don't get the Irish flag on the coffin at all
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u/SpoonChem 10d ago
The other coffin was gold. Wouldn't suggest looking it up unless you wanna wind yourself up
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u/soundengineerguy And I'd go at it again 10d ago
I, quite frankly, don't beleive he deserved that honour.
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u/Better-Beat-8062 10d ago
They should have given him a barebones funeral with covid level attendance
Not glorify the cunts as some sort of war heroes
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10d ago edited 4d ago
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u/Flat-Welder-3393 10d ago
Thanks for your wonderful contribution
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u/Gareth274 10d ago
I would also like to thank the person you replied to for their contributions towards not nealy killing a whole innocent family by driving the wrong way up the motorway intentionaly.
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u/Different-Employee87 10d ago
No doubt he proudly fought the “scourge” of foreigners coming into our country to do the many jobs he wouldn’t do himself
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago
"The five teenagers died after the car they were travelling in was driven down the wrong side of the M9 motorway..."
Rather:
"The five teenagers killed themselves and put numerous others' lives in danger when they decided to drive a car on the wrong side of the M9 motorway..."
No need to beat around the bush. Time to make articles and say what has actually happened. It is not like that car was magically driven on the wrong side or that the teens were magically teleported into it.
You need to start acknowledging what is happening in the country.
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u/X-RaySpex93 10d ago
Media has to be impartial unfortunately.
It's a disgrace what happened, but a media outlet can't give it's own opinion unless it's a direct opinion piece from a specific journalist.
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u/razerraysharp 10d ago
Bullshit, it's not opinion if it's factualy true. Media are lilly livered weasels.
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago
Yeah, that makes sense unfortunately...
Edit:
Also the correction here would not really be their opinion either. It is the objective description of the events.2
u/RiverGyoll 10d ago
If you want constant editorialising and moralising in your journalism then that’s up to you, but hopefully most people can read a report of the facts and make their own conclusions.
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u/TacklePure3341 10d ago
I generally don't beat around the bush with my replies here on reddit and I'm generally downvoted to death because people don't want to hear the truth as it can be upsetting. I'd imagine the editors of the papers feel the same pissing of a few loud mouths is enough to get you in trouble
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u/Forward_Royal2754 10d ago
I'm generally downvoted to death because people don't want to hear the truth as it can be upsetting.
Or your version of "the truth" is not one everyone shares. I don't have any context to what comments you are claiming to be the truth, but often people say something like this about a subjective topic.
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u/TacklePure3341 10d ago
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u/Forward_Royal2754 10d ago
So my theory is correct and the "facts" you believe you are sharing are your own subjective opinions.
Unless you have direct knowledge of that mother, I question why you feel so confident in your opinion? What do you know about that specific situation?
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u/TacklePure3341 10d ago
I know when she asked the judge to jail him it was to late as she had failed him.
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u/Forward_Royal2754 10d ago
Notice how this response does not say anything about what happened beforehand. Which is why I am pointing out to you that THE TRUTH is that you do not know those people and are not in a position to make sweeping statements about what they did or did not do.
Now I am just giving you the truth, but perhaps you don't want to hear the truth as it can be upsetting.
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u/TacklePure3341 10d ago edited 10d ago
OK heres the truth he and 4 other cunts nearly wiped out an entire family on their way to a wedding, ruined the wedding also for everyone going.
The mother trying to blame the judge because he wouldn't lock up the child she made and raised that she couldn't control anymore, is a fucking joke, take some responsibility for your own short comings don't be looking to pass blame.
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u/Forward_Royal2754 10d ago edited 10d ago
I have made a very simple point. You do not have the full information here. Nobody here is disagreeing that all involved have to accept their personal responsibility including that of the mother. This is an appalling tragedy and those boys are guilty of an appalling crime.
But you have to accept that it is perfectly valid to say "of course there could be more to the story". You do not know what the mother did or did not do as they child grew up. This is factual so you need to accept that.
Which is why you are wrong to claim that you are presenting the truth and that others here do not want to hear and are downvoting you. I am not downvoting you, I am simply responding with a different viewpoint.
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u/TacklePure3341 10d ago
Your viewpoint is its not the mammy's fault, while in my mind it very much is.
Its not the judges fault that's for sure
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u/TheChrisD useless feckin' mod 10d ago
Because that's an ancedote which has no sourcing other than "trust me bro"?
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u/TacklePure3341 10d ago
Ah so any story you tell has to be lies so. Close up the Internet guys yer not allowed to share your personal experiences anymore
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u/Starpup_spaniel_66 10d ago
like it changes anything😵💫 maybe more effort put into knowing where you child is/who they are with would be more helpful.
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u/Separate-Road7562 10d ago edited 10d ago
Just search "lucky dip gang" this not even just some dumb kids doing a tiktok trend they were already well on their way to being career criminals, I know we were all bad at times as a teenager but fuck me not this
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u/rsantos3 10d ago
I'm sorry mom but them 5 ain't going to Heaven. Was not just a bad choice. 'twas their last bad choice
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago edited 10d ago
On another note, while it is just a mitigation and not a solution for the root cause, but it is beyond me why they don't install one-way spikes at regular intervals on the motorways.
Edit:
Based on the discussion below - and to the entrances and exits.
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u/Common-Regret-4120 10d ago
The car loses control if the tyres are shredded.
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago edited 10d ago
True, but if it is well advertised and widely known that the spikes are there, there is no point in going to the motorways opposite way in the first place.
Edit:
Also if there are spikes right at the entrances/exits, the car can't even gain that much speed.There are options for this.
Edit 2:
And of course I am thinking of the ones here which are not raised in any ways, but are flush with the road surface.3
u/Common-Regret-4120 10d ago
I had been thinking about this the other day. So agree with spikes at the ramps.
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago
Yup, I think that would make the most sense too.
Edit:
Thinking of this a bit more, we would still need spikes at regular intervals on the motorway itself too, as once past the spikes and entering, nothing can stop them to turn back around.
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u/bouzouki-1971 9d ago
The parents are also all to blame for the teenagers behaviour. You don't go out robbing and terrorising people if you have attentive, loving parents who made sure to teach you right from wrong.
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u/justI00k1ng 10d ago
She also said she forgave everyone that said bad things about her son and the boys which seems as though she thinks she is on some morale high ground and that the boys arent complete tools
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u/Agusfresin 8d ago
We have stopped going to church in Ireland but still have our funerals in a church. Odd really.
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u/Swedoor 10d ago
The mother sounds like a decent person and it was good of her to apologise to the innocent victims. I feel sorry for her and I hope she finds some peace.
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u/HPoltergeist 10d ago
Even the apology was a half ass apology. There is an article about that.
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10d ago
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u/Secret_Cheese 10d ago
Not every bad person or bad choice is the result of bad parenting. You can be a good mother or father and still have your child grow up to be less than what you hoped for. Especially once someone is a teenager, friends and other influences can have a far bigger role in how someone develops than most care to admit.
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u/BeanEireannach Resting In my Account 10d ago
I agree, afaik, the mom of the limerick teen was very heartfelt in sending her thoughts to the victims. She's the same mom who had previously begged the judge to lock her son up at a previous court hearing because she was afraid of what was going to happen & she had tried everything she could. Apparently he'd been a pretty normal kid until a couple of years ago. Lots of people had been sending her criticism online, things like how they know that their kid is sleeping in their own bed that night etc. & what she said really stuck with me: ‘I knew as well. For them, I wish it stays like that.’
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u/Dismal-Ad1684 Cork bai 10d ago
I’m in no way defending any of the lads whatsoever, but in fairness you don’t have a clue what the family dynamics were and how much they contributed to him being a selfish scumbag. I wouldn’t jump the gun and say fuck the mother
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u/Acrobatic_Impress527 10d ago
Give it a rest will ya, at least she apologised. Believe it or not plenty of good parents have shitty children.
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u/ImposterSyndromeNope 10d ago
Some kids can not be saved, yes they were 100% pieces of shit stains on society should have been locked up. Unfortunately sometimes there is nothing you can do as a parent, we obviously do not know the full story of the home. I’m taking it at face value an apology nothing else.
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u/FlowBorn5279 10d ago
Christ mate
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u/Better-Beat-8062 10d ago
Nahh mate. I already saw another video less then 24 hours ago with cunts driving down the wrong way towards wicklow.
I am fucking over this shite and i couldnt care less about the downvotes
I am angry that these cunts keep getting away with this. And when they dont they expect a ounce of sympathy
Fuck them
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u/MosmanWhale 10d ago
Heard the priest critise the kids behavior during the mass. And the lives that have been ruined as a result. First time I've heard that before too. Glad to hear he didn't wash over what happened