Millie ‘brought a smile to everyone’
Near the place were she was christened one year ago, Millie’s mourners heard Reverend Henry Blair say that the toddler brought “a smile to everyone”.
He said she was “very much alive in heaven, not an angel, not a star, she’s Millie”.
The 15-month-old baby died one week ago in Belfast’s Royal Victoria hospital from injuries inflicted on her in her home in Glebe Park, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.
Her mother’s partner, Barry Michael McCarney, 30, from Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, has been charged with her murder.
The funeral service took place at Saint Mary’s Parish Church, in Magheraculmoney, Kesh, not far from the tragic toddler’s grandparents’ house where her remains had been kept.
The service was led by local Rector Eric McGirr aided by Rev Blair. There were poignant scenes as the small white coffin containing the remains of the toddler was carried into the packed old church by her grandfather, Noel Martin.
Rev Blair spoke of “the shock and sadness felt by” the “whole community” and asked for prayers to be said for Millie’s distraught mother Rachel, 25, and her grandparents and three uncles, Peter, Mathew and Jonathan.
The lessons were read by Peter and Matthew. They read from Psalm 23, The Lord is my Shepherd, and from the New Testament where Christ called the children to come to him.
As the congregation sang hymns the service was relayed by video link to St Mary’s Parish hall across the road where members of the media, who had been asked for privacy by the family, observed the service.
After the service, Millie’s small white coffin was carried to a hearse by her uncle Peter Martin to be taken to Sydare Cemetery where she was interred.
