‘Farewell. Sleep in peace, my baby boy’

MOURNERS wept openly yesterday when a poignant letter from a mother to her only son, killed in a road accident last Saturday, was read out at his funeral Mass.

St Peter and Paul Church in Bruff, Co Limerick, was full as a community paid their last respects to Kevin Walsh, who was just 16.

Students from the local Ard Scoil Mhuire, along with soccer and GAA teams, formed guards of honour. Local curate Fr Joe Foley read out a letter written by Kate Walsh to her only son.

She wrote: “I was the proudest mother in the world. You were intelligent, kind, funny and talented, and every time you took a hurley in your hand or took to the field to play a football match, my heart would almost burst with pride.

“I was overwhelmed with joy when your team won both the south and county finals. Your love of cars and sport and your passion for Liverpool FC will live on in us all.”

Ms Walsh said she always felt safe when Kevin was by her side and knew he would also look after and love his sister Mandy.

She wrote: “I don’t know how we will ever live our lives without you. I will miss hearing your voice last thing at night and going out to your matches.

“Mandy will miss your friendship and text messages. You were determined to keep your eye on her, but we both know that you will be with us always in our hearts, and from your place in heaven you will forever be protecting us.

“Farewell, but not goodbye. Sleep in peace, my baby boy. Love, Mam.”

Fr Foley said Kevin was a regular churchgoer.

He said: “Kevin had that faith, he was true and faithful to his Mass every weekend. You might see him in the gallery or down there at the back of the church. For Kevin, God had a major place in his life.”

Kevin’s death, he said, shocked and saddened the community.

Fr Foley said: “We could scarcely believe it when we learned of his death. We can scarcely believe it now. We have lost a valued and loving member of our community, and really we are trying to make sense of an aspect of human life which is so difficult to understand.”

He said Kevin was full of charm and wit and the many notes written in tribute by his school friends contained the words ‘kind’ and ‘considerate’.

He said: “This is a fitting tribute to a young man. For Kevin was a gift who helped everywhere he went during his short life.”

Kevin died instantly when the car in which he was travelling with his two uncles was struck by another vehicle near Toomevara.

Former Ireland rugby international Eddie Halvey, aged 36, from Limerick, was arrested at the scene and has been charged with drink driving.