The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin has described last Sunday's fatal M9 crash, which claimed the lives of five male teenagers and seriously injured four members of one family, as “hugely traumatic”.

Bishop Denis Nulty said the incident had caused “sadness right across Carlow”.

The bishop said that there were “so many families impacted” by the events which occurred at 3am between junctions 3 and 4 close to Moone, Co Kildare.

Joe “Joey” Carthy (15) and Jack Kennedy (17) both from Athy, Alex McCarthy (16), Jeremy O'Brien from Carlow and Kamil Pustkowski (17) from Limerick died in the crash.

Gardaí believe the BMW carrying the teenagers was travelling the wrong way on the motorway when it collided with a Hyundai car carrying a family on their way to Dublin Airport.

The Hyundai was occupied by three sisters and a young boy from the Carlow town area, who were on their way to a wedding in England.

Alma and Niamh Kinsella, who were critically injured, are improving but remain in a serious condition at Tallaght University Hospital. Their younger sister Ella Hendricken continues to be treated for serious injuries at St Vincent’s University Hospital after she was transferred from St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny.

Alma’s son Yemi, who was also seriously injured, is being treated in Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin.

A prayer vigil for the family is to be held at 6.30pm on Friday in St Clare’s Church, Graiguecullen, Carlow.

Speaking on KCLR 96FM, Bishop Nulty said: “This should not be happening. It’s so tough, it’s so hard. Our prayers and thoughts are with all those families.

“I’m also very much thinking of Jeremy’s family, Alex’s family from Carlow and the other young lads, Joe, Jack and Kamil. I’m praying for their mothers. For mothers, it’s always a very hard time. No mother expects to be getting news like that. All are very much in my prayers. For all of these things there are no straightforward answers to incidents like this, but as people of faith we have to hold on to God’s heavenly peace.”

He added: “At times like this I always think of the emergency services. The first responders, those who had to deal with that scene on the M9 on Sunday morning last, and they had to go home to their own families. They deserve our commendation and full support.”

Bishop Nulty said he plans to visit the injured family in hospital later this week.

A fundraiser for the Carlow family has raised more than €500,000 in less than 48 hours after it was set up.

In a statement, the Graigue/Killeshin Parish said that they organised the vigil for the community to come together “in faith and hope to pray for the full recovery of Ella, Niamh, Alma and Yemi.”