Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Alphonsus Cullinan, and members of the clergy led prayers at a vigil in the town of Clonmel following the tragic deaths of four young people in a road crash.
Funeral arrangement are being made for the four victims of Friday’s road crash in the Co Tipperary town which killed 24-year-old Luke McSweeney, his 18-year-old sister Grace McSweeney, as well as 18-year-old Zoey Coffey and 18-year-old Nicole Murphy.
Addressing the hundreds of people who assembled in the town’s plaza on Sunday evening, Bishop Cullinan spoke of the devastation of the bereaved families.
“Death has visited them, and the beautiful young lives of Luke and Zoey and Grace and Nicole left them, and they are silent before death,” he said.
Local priest, Fr Michael Toomey praised the response of the local community in the face of the devastating accident. The priest was called to the accident scene and afterwards paid tribute to the emergency services.
“Sometimes no words seem adequate when a tragedy [like this] happens. No words can give comfort at this time. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who suffered a terrible loss in this terrible accident.”
“When needed most, the people of Clonmel, from all ages, all backgrounds, rallied around together, to help and support not just the families, but one another,” he said.
The three young women had received their leaving certificate results at the local Loreto and Presentation schools earlier on Friday. They were being driven by Luke McSweeney on Friday evening into Clonmel town to join classmates at a celebration event.
Parish priest of Ss Peter and Paul’s in Clonmel, Fr John Treacy, spoke to RTE Radio of the pain and difficult days ahead for the three families.
“The love of a parent for their child is just an unspeakable, inseparable bond of love and fidelity and tenderness and compassion. And to lose that is something that words cannot adequately describe.”
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