A MAN was remanded on bail after pleading guilty to drink driving and dangerous driving causing the deaths of two of his college friends.
Patrick Carroll (21), with an address at Drinagh Fivealley, Birr, County Offaly, entered guilty pleas before Judge Simon McAleese at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr Carroll told the court he was guilty of dangerous driving causing the deaths of Darragh Dullea (21), Clonakilty, County Cork, and Cillian Kirwan (19), Piltown, County Kilkenny, at the N69, Ballyengland, near Askeaton, County Limerick, on February 20, 2024.
Mr Carroll also entered a guilty plea in respect of a charge of driving while intoxicated at the same address on the same date.
Prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley, instructed by Brendan Gill, state solicitor for County Limerick, told the court that Mr Carroll and the two deceased men had been friends and fellow students attending the Salesian Agricultural College, Pallaskenry, County Limerick.
They were all traveling in the same car along with a fourth fellow student at the time of the fatal collision. Mr Carroll and the third passenger were treated in hospital for injuries sustained in the crash.
Cillian Kirwan’s mother and sister were present in court.
Senior counsel Brian McInerney, for Mr Carroll, described it as a “very sensitive case” and made an application for an adjournment and a probation report.
Mr McInerney said a probation report in respect of the accused would “be of benefit to the court and to the accused, in terms of his rehabilitation going forward”.
Addressing the parties in court, Judge McAleese said: “What a terrible nightmare to endure and to continue enduring, I cannot say how sorry I am.”
“This tragic incident made news headlines at the time, I do remember it. My sympathies are with the Dullea and Kirwan families,” said the judge.
Ms Buckley said the State would canvass victim impact statements from the families of the deceased men.
Judge McAleese ordered that a probation report would be prepared in respect of Mr Carroll ahead of his sentencing hearing.
The judge remanded Mr Carroll on continuing bail and adjourned the matter, for mention, to fix a date for sentence on April 27.
The car that Mr Carroll was driving at the time struck a wall around 7.25pm on the evening in question.
The four students had been in their final year of studying for a higher certificate in agricultural mechanisation, involving the study of farm machinery, a joint programme run by Salesian College and Technical University of the Shannon (TUS).
– Court Reporting Scheme