A devastating car crash has claimed the lives of four teenagers in Co. Kerry. The crash occurred early Wednesday morning when the car lost control at Carrigeen, six kilometers from Killarney on the Killarney-Mallow road.

Two brothers David (17) and Kevin Breen (15), and David’s girlfriend Áine Riordan (15) all died at the scene, while Brian Coffey (19) died later in hospital. A fifth passenger Darragh Jones (16) remains in a stable condition at Kerry General Hospital.

Speaking in the wake of the tragedy, Shelia Breen the mother of the two teenage boys killed in the accident said that said that the boys had been in fine form before they headed out with friends. She told the Irish Independent “Their friends called for them last night. They were very happy and in great form as they headed off. I don't even think they said goodbye,"

She added, "Aine was David's girlfriend. They had been going out together for almost two years and were totally mad about each other. They were always together and got on so well. (Aine) was a lovely girl and I really liked her -- I just cannot believe they are all gone."

Police are continuing their investigation into the crash. They believe that David Breen was driving the vehicle when the silver Hyundai Accent lost control as it was taking a left hand bend at 7.10am on Wednesday morning. Investigators have yet to establish if speed was a factor in the accident.

It is understood the teenagers were returning home after attending a house party in the Baraduff area. Police have yet to establish the precise ownership of the ten year old car in which the friends were travelling.

The stretch of road where the accident occurred is on the official police list of collision-prone spots. In the past ten years alone this particular stretch of road has claimed the lives of four people, nine have been seriously injured and 22 people received minor injuries.

To date 137 people have lost their lives on Irish Roads so far this year. This is the second severe car crash to rock the country this summer.  In July eight men were killed in Buncrana, Co. Donegal in the single worst road accident in the history of the state.