Grieving friends weep openly over news reports

THE school attended by missing Dublin teenager, Lynsey O’Brien, re-opened specially yesterday to cater for the large group of distraught friends who were overcome with grief at the news of her disappearance.

The principal of Loreto High School Beaufort, Liz Cogan, decided to open the convent in advance of its official restart after the Christmas holidays next Monday in order to allow Lynsey's friends seek comfort from each other.

The school on Grange Road, Rathfarnham became the focus for friends and schoolmates to gather as they absorbed the shocking news that Lynsey had fallen overboard from a cruise ship in the Caribbean in the early hours of Thursday morning.

As word filtered around the south Dublin suburb at the tragic accident several thousand miles away in the Gulf of Mexico, second- level students began gathering in the school grounds.

A special service within the convent was hastily arranged by the school authorities as the Loreto chaplain led prayers for good news for the missing transition-year student.

The school also organised a trained counsellor to be present at the school in order to help Lynsey's devastated friends come to terms with the tragic news.

Many of the assembled group of friends wept openly as confirmation of Lynsey's disappearance overboard came officially from the Department of Foreign Affairs via news reports.

Some of Lynsey's classmates were too upset to talk to the large number of media who were kept waiting outside the school gates. Others were advised not to comment to journalists on the matter.

The school's principal, Liz Cogan described the situation as "terrible."

"It is a difficult time for all of us," she observed.

"She was a popular, great youngster, who loved dancing and drama and sports such as basketball," said Ms Cogan.

She said Lynsey's older sister was a fifth-year-student in Loreto, while her younger sister was due to start in the high school in the autumn.

"We all know her family very well it's terrible," said Ms Cogan.

John Phelan, chairman of the Loreto Beaufort parents' association, said there was total shock and utter devastation amongst parents and Lynsey's friends in transition year.

"Fourth years, transition years, they're very young women and they're totally devastated," said Mr Phelan.

He described Lynsey, who was a close friend of his own daughter as "a lovely girl, popular, vibrant a typical 15-year-old."