“MY SON WASN’T EVIL — HE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE”: MOTHER OF M9 CRASH TEEN SPEAKS OUT

The mother of 18-year-old Jeremy O’Brien has spoken publicly about the devastating M9 motorway crash that killed her son and four other teenagers, saying she wishes she had known about the BMW involved before the tragedy.

Margaret Berry said the weeks since the August 16 collision had been “the worst period” of her life.

She has also offered a fresh apology to the family who were seriously injured when the BMW travelling in the wrong direction collided head-on with their Hyundai in Co Kildare.

A MOTHER’S APOLOGY

Jeremy O’Brien was one of five teenagers who died in the early-morning crash near Moone.

The other victims were Joey Carthy, 15, Alex McCarthy, Jack Kennedy and Kamil Pustkowski, all 17.

The BMW collided with a Hyundai carrying sisters Niamh and Alma Kinsella, their sister Ella Hendrick­en and Alma’s seven-year-old son Yemi.

The four occupants of the Hyundai suffered serious injuries.

Speaking about the other family, Margaret said she wanted them to know how sorry she was for what happened.

She said her son had made a “catastrophic decision” and that she would give anything to have him alive in hospital rather than visiting his grave.

“I just wanted to let that family know how sorry I am for this terrible tragedy,” she said.

Her comments came after the families of the five teenagers held their funerals in the weeks following the crash.

At Jeremy’s funeral, his mother and family prayed for everyone affected by the collision.

SHE DIDN’T KNOW HER SON HAD BOUGHT THE BMW

One of the most significant revelations from Margaret was that she only learned after the crash that Jeremy had purchased the BMW involved.

According to her account, Gardaí later told her about the purchase.

She said she had never seen the vehicle and did not know where her son had been keeping it.

Margaret said that if she had known about the car, she would have told Jeremy to get rid of it.

She described him as a “lovely lad” who could be easily influenced, while acknowledging that he had made a serious and devastating mistake.

Police have also linked the BMW to reports of three attempted break-ins involving vehicles in the Athy area before the fatal collision.

FIVE TEENAGERS LOST THEIR LIVES

The crash happened at around 3 a.m. on August 16, when the BMW was travelling against the flow of traffic on the M9 motorway.

It eventually collided head-on with the Hyundai.

All five teenagers in the BMW died.

The people in the Hyundai were seriously injured and have continued their recovery.

The tragedy sparked intense public discussion about dangerous driving, the events leading up to the crash and whether Gardaí could have prevented the collision.

FIOSRÚ INVESTIGATION CLEARS GARDAÍ OF WRONGDOING

A separate development came on September 18, when Ireland’s police oversight body, Fiosrú, published the findings of its investigation into Gardaí’s actions before the crash.

Fiosrú found that Gardaí had acted in accordance with the law and relevant policies and procedures.

Officers had been following the BMW for a short period on the N78 in Athy before it entered the M9 travelling in the wrong direction.

The pursuit was discontinued when the BMW entered the motorway, while other Garda units attempted to establish an appropriate stopping measure.

Fiosrú said the BMW subsequently made a number of U-turns before colliding with the Hyundai.

Investigators reviewed CCTV footage, radio transmissions and forensic collision information as part of the independent investigation.

The finding addressed the actions of Gardaí. It did not remove the devastating consequences of the crash for either family.

“MY SON WASN’T AN EVIL PERSON”

Margaret has also spoken about the harsh reaction she received online following her son’s death.

She said strangers had sent her deeply hurtful messages about Jeremy, despite never knowing him or the circumstances of his life.

The grieving mother said she had lost her son and was already living with the consequences of what happened.

She also rejected the idea that her son should be defined solely by the final decision he made.

“My son wasn’t an evil person,” she said, describing what happened as a “very, very stupid and terrible mistake.”

A priest who met with the injured family’s relatives later confirmed that he had passed on Margaret’s apology.

Fr Tom Little said Margaret was genuinely remorseful and continued to pray for the family.

“WE WILL NEVER KNOW WHY”

Margaret said one of the hardest questions for her was understanding why her son and the other teenagers drove the way they did that night.

She said she hoped the full investigation would eventually establish what happened.

She has also urged other young people to think carefully before getting behind the wheel and taking risks.

Her message comes as the investigation into the wider circumstances of the crash continues.

For Margaret, however, the investigation cannot change the most painful fact: her son is gone.

She said she had never imagined that the BMW would become connected with such a tragedy and that the family was now facing a future without Jeremy.

The crash left five young families grieving while another family continues to recover from serious injuries.

For those left behind, the consequences of one night on the M9 will continue long after the road has reopened.