(L-R) Nicole Murphy from Ballypatrick, Grace McSweeney from Clonmel, her brother Luke McSweeney, and Zoey Coffey from Kilsheelan
The four victims have been named as Nicole Murphy, 18, from Ballypatrick, Zoey Coffey, 18, from Kilsheelan, Grace McSweeney, 18, and her 24-year-old brother Luke McSweeney, from Clonmel.
The three young women had received their Leaving Cert results earlier in the day and were on their way to meet friends for a planned celebration event.
It is understood that the car, which had been travelling downhill, went out of control and overturned, close to the entrance of Hillview Sports Club on Mountain Road.
There was no other vehicle involved.
It is understood the young women attended two local secondary schools, while Mr McSweeney was a past pupil of another secondary school in the area.
The schools involved are currently in meetings and it is understood they have put critical incident management plans in place.
They will be offering support to the families of the victims, and their friends and schoolmates, in the coming days.
Family liaison officers have been appointed to each of the families to provide support.
The road remains closed today pending a forensic examination of the scene, where locals have been laying flowers and where a number of young people have gathered.
In an update this afternoon, Garda Superintendent Kieran Ruane said “all four lives were lost at the scene” after the vehicle “struck a wall”.
He described the scene as “very difficult”, with emergency services working “in very adverse weather conditions”. He hailed the professionalism shown by all first responders.
Supt Ruane said: “Our local communities in particular Clonmel, Kilsheelan and Ballypatrick are shocked and deeply saddened by these events.
“I want to assure our local communities that An Garda Síochána is here over the coming days, weeks and months to support our communities as we all come to terms with this tragedy.
“I have been in contact with the principals of the local secondary schools that the girls attended and supports are being put in place for the friends of all four deceased today and over the next few days.”
Supt Ruane said “there were downpours” at the time of the incident and he said that will form part of the investigation to establish what happened. He said the first responders had noted that “there had been a significant downpour”.
Supt Ruane said that what gardaí witnessed when they arrived at the crash was “a very difficult scene”.
He also said the use of a drone in the area where the crash occurred was “disrespectful” to the young people who died and he urged people not to share any footage of the incident.
The bodies were removed from the scene to Tipperary University Hospital last night, where post-mortem examinations will be carried out in the coming days.
An incident room has been established at Clonmel Garda Station and a senior investigating officer has been appointed to lead the investigation into the crash.
President Michael D Higgins has expressed his sympathies to the families of the young people killed in the crash.
He said: “The hearts of all parents and relatives, indeed the whole community, will have gone out to the families of Zoey Coffey, Nicole Murphy and Luke and Grace McSweeney, who lost their lives in a traffic accident in Co Tipperary last night.
“The grief that has been expressed by the community is nearly unbearable and I send my deepest sympathies to their families, their whole community, those in their year in school and the whole school, its pupils and management.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said “the whole nation mourns” those killed.
“It is with deep sadness that I learned of the tragic incident in Clonmel last night,” he said in a statement.
“Leaving Cert results night should mark the beginning of a world of opportunities for young people. It’s a milestone on the road from childhood to adulthood.
“For young lives, so full of possibility, to be cut short in this way is truly devastating and heartbreaking. The whole nation mourns them.
“My sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have died and the wider community in Clonmel and Tipperary. The thoughts of the whole country are with them, their school and their community.”
The scene of the crash in Clonmel, Co Tipperary on Friday evening
“Sometimes no words seem adequate when a tragedy like what occurred in Clonmel tonight happens,” he said.
He added: “No words can give comfort at this time. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who suffered a terrible loss in this terrible accident.
“I also ask, as the gardaí have requested, that social media images not be circulated or rumours be put out there so as not to cause any further distress to these heartbroken families at this time.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the four young people who tragically lost their lives, to their families, and their friends, on what should have been one of the happiest nights of their lives.”
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