Youth are not indestructible, warns priest

LIFE is fragile and you are not indestructible.

That was the message to young people from a priest who yesterday celebrated the funeral mass of one of the three victims of Saturday’s Dunboy Castle tragedy. Allihies parish priest Fr Liam Comer spoke directly to Shane Kelly’s young friends.

“May Shane allow me to say something to you,” he said.

“May he allow me to say that you are not indestructible, whether you are 17, 20, 21, or aged 15 or 16 for that matter. You are very fragile, all of us are. Life itself is fragile and life is precious.”

The local priest went on to say that all young people have to be careful and wise if they are to survive into adulthood, middle age and old age.

“There is no easy prescription for holding on to life. Nothing is guaranteed in this world, but care and caution are a mighty help.

“I’m not here to lecture you because when I was your age, and when many of us here were your age, we too felt that we were indestructible, we too felt nothing would harm us, but not one of us is.

“Please live life on its terms, within its rules, its cautions.

“Otherwise life will be pitiless to you, your parents, your family, who will have to come to this church or another church to mourn you.”