Priest tells young people to ‘talk to each other and pray for Áine’
Tearful classmates and friends turned out in large numbers in Castleisland for the funeral of Áine Riordan, 16, the first of the four teenage victims to be laid to rest.
Third and sixth-year students and staff from the local St Joseph’s Secondary School, where she was a student, formed a guard of honour as her remains were brought from her home to Castleisland parish church about 45 minutes prior to her funeral Mass.
A 700-strong congregation heard Castleisland curate Fr Michael Moynihan describe Áine as a girl who was full of life and someone who had much to offer.
For Áine’s school mates life would not be the same without her, he said.
Then, to the young people, he said: “It is important to talk to each other and to pray for Áine, who was very much part of your lives.
“We pray in sadness, but also in hope that death is not the end but the beginning of a new life; eternal life.”
Tributes were written on Áine’s white coffin, which was requested by her mother, Mary.
There were several floral tributes and wreaths and a note attached to one wreath read: “Áine, you were taken from us too soon but the memories you gave us will last forever. We are glad your [sic] with the love of your life for eternity. We will love you always Minibox. Missing you loads, Amy, Aisling and Irene xx.”
Two lines of a poem attached to one of the wreaths went as follows: “Memories are like leaves of gold. They never tarnish or grow old. No morrows for us to share. But yesterday’s memories will always be there.”
A black ribbon on the gate of the school, which is beside the church, had a note appended: “In loving memory of our student Áine. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam.”
At the start of the Mass, Fr Moynihan read a message of sympathy from President Mary McAleese to the Riordan family.
He also explained how some symbols placed before the altar reflected Áine’s life – glitter for her love of art, a football for her love of sport, a hoodie, which was part of her school track-suit, and a bracelet for her love of jewellery.
Fr Moynihan said her friends and family had described her in many ways – a bright, intelligent girl, a nice girl to be with and an all-round athlete.
“She was full of get-up and go and well able to fight her corner. She had fitted much into her young life which was cut short so tragically.
“We are left with feelings of shock, loss, sadness and disbelief that life can change in an instant,” he said.
Fr Moynihan said that while her friends and fellow students would miss her, her family would miss her most.
“Every parent expects to see their children into adulthood, as children would expect to see their parents into old age, but this is not to be for Áine’s family.”
He mentioned the start of the school year as a time when young people renew friendships after the holidays, remarking that it was with an air of sadness that they gathered for the funeral of Áine, who had been about to start her Leaving Cert year.
Her grief-stricken parents Dan and Mary, her sisters Samantha, Cait and Tara; grandparents Ned and Phyllis Riordan and her great-grandmother Josie were comforted by relatives and friends.
A group of girls in the blue uniforms of St Joseph’s Secondary School and carrying single red and yellow roses walked behind the coffin as it was brought from the church.
The cortege, which was led by four motorcyclists who are friends of Dan Riordan, then set off slowly for Clogher cemetery, Ballymacelligott, where Áine was laid to rest.
