The sister of one of the teenage girls who sadly lost her life following a tragic crash in Monaghan this week has paid tribute to the "soul friends".

17-year-old Kiea McCann and 16-year-old Dlava Mohamed were killed on the way to their Debs ball in Clones on Monday evening and were laid to rest in separate ceremonies on Thursday. The friends were found holding hands at the scene of the crash with Dlava's sister saying it was "as if they knew they were on their way to heaven together." Speaking at her sister's funeral at Clonskeagh Mosque in Dublin, Lilav Mohamed said: "It is just like my heart is ripping apart." Later speaking to Newstalk, she said: "She left the house, and in less than 10 minutes we got the call. It was so hard. I don’t know how to describe it. I can’t describe it actually, no. It is just like my heart is ripping apart, you know. I was just thinking about my mum, like would something happen to her – because she was the youngest in the family. [caption id="attachment_585848" align="alignnone" width="964"] Dlava Mohamed. Credit: RIP.ie[/caption] "Dlava, she is so quiet. She was so lovely and so quiet and she took care of everyone – she used to take care of everybody,’ she said. ‘When she knows that you are hurt and you need her, she would come and hug you without even asking. She would do anything for you." Those in attendance at Kiea's funeral in Clones, Co. Monaghan heard how her father attempted to resuscitate the two girls following the terrifying ordeal. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has since spoken about the incident, offering his condolences to both families as he urged road users to be careful when travelling. Speaking in Cork, Varadkar said: "The Debs is one of the special occasions in Irish lives, it is a rite of passage that marks the transition from being a schoolchild to being a young adult. It is a time filled with opportunity and boundless hope – for two young lives to be cut short in such an untimely way and tragic manner has gripped the nation."

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