Car mounts pavement in Dublin, injuring 8 including 7 teens

A car mounted a footpath in Dún Laoghaire, south Dublin, on Sunday afternoon, injuring 8 people in total: 7 teenage pedestrians and the car's driver. Several of the teenagers are now in a critical condition, according to Irish media reports, as Gardai continue to investigate the crash.

The car struck the group on Oliver Plunkett Road at about 3pm. All 8 people, including the driver, a woman in her 40s, were taken to hospital. The teenagers are being treated at Children's Health Ireland hospitals at Temple Street and Crumlin, where some of their injuries have since been described as critical.

The Irish Mirror reported that 5 of the injured teenagers are aged 15 and another is 14; the age of a sixth young victim was unclear. All were taken to hospital alongside the seventh teenager and the driver.

A Garda spokesperson said officers were investigating a collision involving the car and the 7 pedestrians, and that the teenagers and the driver had each sustained varying degrees of injury. The force said its examination of the circumstances was continuing.

Some reports said investigators were looking at whether the driver suffered a medical episode before the car mounted the footpath, though Gardai have not confirmed this as the cause. The road remained closed overnight into Monday for a technical examination of the scene, Gardai said.

Local councillor Dan Carson said he was aware of the incident in the Monkstown area, and that his thoughts were with the first responders and the families of those affected. Fellow councillor Justin Moylan said there was a strong sense of shock in the area.