FINAL FAREWELLS

MOURNERS attending the funerals of the victims of the Co Meath bus crash were told their deaths were not in vain if they prompted the country to think of the welfare of our children.

But Fr Peter Farrelly, parish priest of Beauparc, urged people to avoid the “blame game” as they tried to comes to terms with the tragedy.

Speaking at Requiem Masses for two of the deceased, 17-year-old Deirdre Scanlon and 15-year-old Sinead Ledwidge, Fr Farrelly said there had been much talk about seatbelts and safety issues since the crash.

“People are questioning and talking about the safety of children and the controversy over the seatbelts. But getting away from the blame game, if the death of Sinead and the others has got people questioning and thinking about the welfare of our children, their deaths are not in vain.”

The father of another of the girls killed in the accident last Monday, 18-year-old Claire McCluskey, told mourners at her funeral that his family felt deeply for the driver of the school bus.

“Our hearts go out to him,” Christy McCluskey said of 55-year-old local man and veteran driver John Hubble.

Thousands of mourners turned out for the funerals of Claire, Deirdre, Sinead and 15-year-old Lisa Callan, which were held separately in the morning and afternoon at two churches in Rosnaree and Beauparc outside Navan town.

The final funeral, of 15-year-old Aimee McCabe, takes place today from her home in Beauparc to the nearby Church of the Assumption at 11am.

Schools and businesses in Navan and surrounding areas closed for parts of the day yesterday as a mark of respect and to allow staff and students attend the funerals.

Hundreds more, including many schoolchildren, attended a special remembrance Mass in St Mary’s Church in Navan town, while in nearby Duleek, a day of prayer was held at St Cianan’s Church.

Many local churches kept five candles lighting in memory of the five girls, and at each funeral Mass a shared prayer card dedicated to all five was distributed and the same prayer was read in unison by the congregations at the end of each ceremony.

The ceremonies were attended on behalf of the Government by Ministers Mary Hanafin, Martin Cullen and Noel Dempsey, while the Taoiseach and President Mary McAleese were represented by two of their Aides-de-Camp.

Bishop of Meath, Dr Michael Smith, led the clergy, including priests and ministers from local and neighbouring parishes.

The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, sent a letter expressing his “very great sorrow” at the tragedy.

Prayers were said for the bereaved and for those injured in the crash.

Three people remained in hospital last night.

A teenager is being detained in Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan while another teenager and the female adult driver of one of the two cars that crashed at the scene are still receiving treatment at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.