The day 'darkness' descended
Credit: Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin
The funeral cortege of brothers (insets) David (left), aged 17, and Kevin Breen, aged 15, of Hazelwood Drive, Killarney, leaving St Mary?s Cathedral, Killarney, on Saturday. The Breen brothers, Áine Riordan and Brian Coffey were all killed in a single-vehicle accident on the Killarney to Barraduff road at 7.10 am last Wednesday.
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Wednesday September 01 2010
THE Friday morning sun was cold comfort to the thousands in Castleisland united in mourning with the family of Áine Riordan — her parents Dan and Mary and sisters Samantha, Cáit and Tara — as she was laid to rest. Memories of the bright, bubbly teenager beloved of all in her community brought palpable sadness as Fr Michael Moynihan carried out the solemn task of articulating the town's immense grief at her loss through the eulogy at her Funeral Mass in St Stephen and St Johns' Church.
Áine Riordan's fun-loving character was most visibly represented from the outset by those symbols of her life and passion placed before the altar: Glitter, symbolising her love of art, a football representing her love of sport, part of her school uniform and a bracelet symbolising her love of jewellery.
"Today we gather in sadness as family, friends and community to bid our final farewell to Áine," Fr Moynihan said. "A young girl, full of life, with much to offer. Today we pray with memories and say goodbye to a young girl, a daughter, a sister, a relative, a friend. Friends and family have described Áine in many ways.
"A bright, intelligent girl. Nice girl to be with. An all-round athlete, a girl who enjoyed art and grafitti, a girl who was full of get up and go, a girl who was well able to fight her corner. With many friends near and far and so much more," Fr Moynihan said.
He counselled her school friends to talk to each other about Áine's tragic death in the coming days as they resume the academic year: "For Áine's schoolmates life will not be the same without her. It is important to talk to each other, and to pray for Áine who was very much part of your lives. We pray in sadness but also in hope, that death is not the end but the beginning of a new, eternal life."
Greater resonance was added the heartbreaking event in terms of the religious calendar as Friday was the feast of St Monica; the patron saint of mothers. "She worried about her son St Augustine, she prayed for him and shed tears for him. St Monica can be the patron of all parents. Our hearts go out to Áine's parents at this time of great loss, sorrow and sadness. While Áine's death will be felt by her friends and school mates, the greatest loss will be felt by her parents and her family. Every parent expects to see their children into adulthood and that children would see their parents into old age but this is not to be for Áine's family," Fr Moynihan continued.
He offered the words of Christ from that day's Gospel as some consolation for the bereaved. "In our Gospel this morning we heard the words of Jesus to his Apostles. Come to me all you who labour and are over burdened and I will give you rest. Those words contain an invitation and a promise. An invitation to share our burden with the Lord, lay our sorrows at his feet and our broken hearts in his hands.
"Our prayer today is that God will grant Áine a place in his heavenly home. We pray also that through the consolation of family and friends Áine's family may come to know the consolation of God at this time and in the weeks and years ahead."
- DÓNAL NOLAN
