Father ‘proud’ Amanda gave life through organ donations

The heartbroken father of a young woman who died following a road traffic collision told her requiem Mass he was “very proud” of his daughter who gave life to five people through organ donation.

Mourners gathered at St Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh, Co Cork, for the funeral mass of Amanda O’Flaherty, and to pay their sympathies to her parents, Michael and Paula, her brothers and sisters and extended family.

The 26-year-old lost her fight for life last Sunday following a road traffic collision the day before at Cow Cross in Cobh, just a mile from her home.

Tears flowed as her father Michael told the congregation gathered that Amanda was a “free-spirit and the kindest person you would ever meet”.

“Out of death comes life… and I’m very proud of my daughter because she has given life to five other people, and to me that is very special,” he said.

Her mother Paula said her daughter had “a heart of gold.”

“The only good that came from Amanda’s untimely and unexpected passing was the organ donation,” she said. “Even though we have lost Amanda, she will continue to live on throughout the lives of those people.”

Her sister, Sinead, described the 26-year-old as a compassionate, beautiful person who loved to laugh and to make others laugh.

“I’ll never forget the past Christmas — you kept telling us how much you couldn’t wait to see your nieces’ faces on Christmas morning… I am honoured and proud to have been your sister,” said a tearful Sinead.

Ms O’Flaherty was laid to rest at St Colman’s Cemetery following funeral Mass, which was said by Fr Jim Killeen.

The Mass was concelebrated by Fr Peadar Murphy and by Archbishop Dermot Clifford.