Update 9.20pm: The Parish Priest of Gortahork, Donegal has been describing the shock and sadness of the community at news of the death of four young men in a road accident on Sunday night.
Fr Seán Ó Gallchóir told RTE’s Morning Ireland that two of the young men had come from his parish of Gortahurk, while the other two were from the neighbouring parishes of Falcarragh and Gweedore.
People in the area are “saddened, stunned, in total disbelief and totally numb,” he said.
“Their loss will be felt right across the community of the three parishes.”
All of the young men were well known with one of them playing Gaelic football and soccer on local teams.
Last night he visited the parents of his two parishioners.
“The two boys were in the same class in primary school and in community school. They grew up together, they were friends all their lives.”
Fr Ó Gallchóir said everyone was devastated, in shock and experiencing great grief. “It is beyond belief.”
He said that communities, especially rural communities always rally and will do everything to support the families.
All four were well known and came from well-known families, he added.
“For the parents there will be a void now for all of their lives.
“It is just unexplainable, people are bewildered by the whole thing..
“It is so hard for all of us that such a tragedy could happen.”
Earlier: 'These will be very difficult days': Four young men dead in single-vehicle crash in Donegal
A crash in Co Donegal has claimed the lives of four young men.
Gardaí and emergency services were called to the scene of the single-vehicle crash on a local road near Magheraroarty in Gortahork just before 9pm last night.
All four men in the car, believed to be in their 20s, died at the scene.
It has been preserved for a technical examination and the road remains closed this morning with local diversions in place.
It is not known at this stage how the crash happened and investigations are ongoing.
A Garda source said last night: "It's a devastating scene. All four lads are from the locality and would be well-known in the area."
The scene of the crash is close to where a number of other fatal accidents have taken place over the years.
Any witnesses are being asked to contact Milford Garda Station or the Garda Confidential Line.
Sinn Féin TD for Donegal, Pearse Doherty, said there was a "cloud of sadness over the area."
"Devastating news from Gaoth Dobhair tonight. A cloud of sadness over the area. Thoughts and prayers are with those involved and their families," he said on social media.
"It's absolutely heartbreaking. There is a cloud of sadness right over this area," Mr Doherty told Highland Radio.
"People were numbed when they started to hear the news yesterday, that there was an accident that had fatalities and then hear that four young people in their early 20s, their lives have been snatched away.
"There are words that fail us at this point and time. We can only think about their families and their friends and try and be there and support them as a community in the times ahead.
"These will be very difficult days for those closet to the victims of this accident and for the entire community
"There are very few people that wouldn't know either these lads or their friends or neighbours and families.
"It's a huge loss to all of us."
Donegal has seen several major tragedies on the roads in recent years.
In July 2010, eight men died near Buncrana after a vehicle left the road and the driver was later prosecuted.
Last year, two people were killed and three injured in a crash in Bundoran.
The vehicle they were travelling in hit a wall.
