Tartaglia pays tribute to family killed by bin lorry

THE ARCHBISHOP of Glasgow has paid tribute to the lives of three members of the same family killed in the Glasgow bin-lorry tragedy, in a homily that described their deaths as “random, cruel and meaningless”, writes Liz Dodd.

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, preaching at the funeral Mass for Erin McQuade (18) and her grandparents, Jack and Lorraine Sweeney, last Saturday, said their deaths were “a heart-breaking tragedy”.

“A festive and happy Christmas shopping excursion to Glasgow had become the worst of nightmares,” he said of the December afternoon when they were killed by an out-of-control lorry while shopping in George Square.

The funeral took place at St Patrick’s Church, Dumbarton, north-east of Glasgow.