Fundraiser for 3 sisters seriously injured after horrific M9 crash raises 6-figure sum in HOURS as stars lead donations

A FUNDRAISER launched for three sisters injured in the horrific wrong-way M9 crash in Co Kildare has raised over €270,000 in just 17 hours.

Ella Hendricken, Niamh Kinsella and Alma Kinsella, as well as Alma’s seven-year-old son Yemi, are in hospital after their Hyundai was hit by a BMW driven by five teens at 3am on Sunday.

Emergency services at the scene of a crash on the M9 in County Kildare. — **The scene on the M9 northbound at Junction 3 in Co Kildare on Sunday**

Five people and a dog in front of a Christmas tree. — **Ella Hendricken (left), Niamh (centre) and Alma Kinsella (right) remain in hospital along with Alma’s son Yemi**

Five teenagers died at the scene of the horrific smash.

They have been named locally as Joe Carthy, 15, Jack Kennedy, 17, Alex McCarthy, 17, Jeremy O’Brien, 18, and 17-year-old Kamil Pustkowski.

Niamh and Alma, who are understood to have been in the front of the vehicle when the collision took place, are understood to remain in a critical condition in Tallaght Hospital.

Ella is in St Vincent’s Hospital in a serious condition and seven-year-old Yemi is being treated for injuries at Crumlin Children’s Hospital.

The innocent Co Carlow family were on their way to Dublin Airport to attend a family wedding in the UK when the teens’ BMW drove at high speeds on the wrong side of the road and smashed into their Hyundai.

A GoFundMe set up to help the family in their “long and challenging” road ahead has already raised €279,084 in 17 hours at the time of writing.

Among the donators were model Rozanna Purcell and comedian Garron Noone, who generously gave €1,000 each for the cause, and an anonymous donor who gifted €2,000.

Ella’s best friend Bryan Curley set up the fundraiser, saying: “This has been an incredibly difficult and frightening time for Ella, Niamh, Alma and their family.

“They are facing a long and challenging road ahead, and right now, I ask that you keep them all in your thoughts & prayers. All funds going directly to the family.”

The fundraiser is available to view here.

Today, The Irish Sun reported how the five teens killed in the wrong-way smash were suspected of involvement in several criminal incidents.

And two of the teens, Carthy and McCarthy, were quizzed by Gardai over a hit-and-run in Carlow on July 8, when motorcyclist Jackson Singh was hit and seriously injured by a stolen black Ford Ranger pick-up.