Community mourns loss of mother and daughter

A DISTRAUGHT local community gathered in sadness last night for the removal of the remains of the mother and daughter who lost their lives in a harrowing flash flood tragedy in West Cork last week.

Órla O’Driscoll, 33, and toddler Muir, aged three, were swept to their deaths in a tributary of the Coomhola River last Thursday.

Mother and child, side by side in the one coffin, will be laid to rest today at the Abbey Cemetery in Bantry. Among a large and dignified attendance at last night’s removal were family, friends, ex-Cork TD and former Foreign Affairs Minister, Peter Barry, and ex-president of the GAA, Con Murphy. Brazil-based Fr Tom O’Shea, an uncle of the late Mrs O’Driscoll, received the remains at St Finbarr’s Church.

Local curate Fr Michael Kelleher asked those who gathered in sadness and support of the bereaved to also pray to give strength for all in the community. Family and friends continued to provide comfort to heartbroken husband Finbarr and his son Fionn who, after being thrown to safety by his mother, made brave attempts to raise the alarm.

Pupils from all classes at Gaelscoil Bheanntraí where Fionn is in high infants, provided a guard of honour for the cortege, making a sad and slow journey from the nearby funeral home to the hilltop church.

Before the removal, Hundreds of townspeople from Bantry joined the rural community from Coomhola in paying their respects.

In a gesture to the rescue volunteer teams who aided in the recovery of the bodies, the family have requested that donations be given to Bantry Inshore Rescue and Bantry Hospital.