Family, community and schoolmates gather to mourn Tara

TARA WHELAN’S school jumper, a family photo and her work shirt from the local Sweep Bar will be among the symbols of her short but eventful life which will be brought to the altar today for the 17-year-old’s funeral Mass.

The gifted musician’s tin whistle, drama book and a single flower, symbolising her close connection with nature, will also be offered up by heartbroken family and friends who will today bid their final farewells.

Thousands of well-wishers have filed into the Whelan home since news of the Leaving Certificate student’s death in a Turkish bomb blast broke last Saturday. This morning, her parents will spend their last few private hours with Tara, before her remains are brought to the parish church for her funeral Mass at noon.

Last night, local curate, Fr Gerard O’Connor, said the family was bearing up well under the strain. “It has been a terribly difficult time for them but they have a very strong faith and a fantastic community around them. We would ask everyone though to respect their privacy today,” he said.

The bulk of the 145 Leaving Certificate students at Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School in Waterford city will travel the 15km to St Nicholas’s Church in Ballyduff.

It will be a heart-breaking farewell to the classmate they all held in such high esteem. The girls will all be in uniform and will form a guard of honour from 11.30am, school deputy principal Declan Clancy said.

“The school has remained open for the girls again today. We will bring around 100 students to the church. Parents and teachers will bring others. We will form a guard of honour.

“We were in a bit of a fix because some of the girls have disposed of their uniforms.

“The family has asked that two of the girls will participate in the liturgy by bringing up gifts and taking part in the prayers of the faithful.

“We had a lovely ceremony in the school, with lovely readings and wonderful music,” Mr Clancy said.

At that ceremony, solo singers sang and a tape recording from a talent competition in February featuring Tara was played.

“I was a little apprehensive about putting on the songs. They were wonderful and they seemed to go on forever. But they helped us all considerably,” he said.