Daughter of Clare couple found dead reads poem to parents at funeral

The funeral of Joe and Claire Collins at St Brigids Church in Corofin today. 

An adult daughter of Co Clare couple Joe Collins and Claire Collins told mourners that she would give anything to have another happy family day with her parents.

At a packed St Brigid’s Church in Corofin on Monday, Sara Collins read a poem penned by herself addressed to her parents.

"Mum and Dad we love you we want you both to know — It was always so easy to be just us four — But it is so, so hard to let you go." 

Fighting back the tears, Sara said her mother, Claire "showed us how to be gentle, loving and kind" and her father, Joe, "showed us how proud you were of us".

She said: "If we could bring you back we would hug you both forever — Even though we can’t we will love you more than ever.... What we wouldn’t give to have one more of those happy, happy days with you." 

In her words to the packed congregation, Sara said that she had penned the poem "to close that lovely and beautiful chapter" on her life with her parents. Sara told mourners that herself and her sister, Tara, "got a lot of advice from Mum and Dad over the years about different things — they were so good".

The joint funeral Mass comes four days after the the bodies of the couple were found at their home at Crossard, Kilnaboy.

Gardaí are treating the deaths as a suspected murder-suicide — where Joe Collins, 54, is believed to have killed his wife Claire, 51, and took his own life.

In her poem, Sara said: 

We miss you both today. We miss you both tomorrow. Nothing can be done to end our pain and sorrow. We love you both to the moon and back.

Sara said that her parents "showed us the way every way we knew how".

In his own tribute, Joe's brother Brian Collins said that "Joe and Claire were married for 30 years. There was happiness. There was fun and there was love. Their two beautiful girls, Tara and Sara are such a credit to them."

He added: "Joe and Claire were so delighted when baby Rian arrived. The pride and joy was bursting out of them. They were two good, hardworking people who we loved so very much and that is how we will remember them." 

Mr Collins thanked parish priest for the area, Fr Des Hillery, "for his support, his words of prayer and words of calm over these very few difficult days". He also thanked gardaí for their professionalism and for their sensitivity as well as the Collins’ neighbours, friends "and whole community of Kilnaboy and Corofin and far beyond".

In his words to the congregation, Fr Hillery said that "the past few days our lives and our routine has been plunged into turbulence and swirling directionless". He said: "Change has happened — it is not the same and it will never be the same." 

Fr Hillery said that for Sara and Tara "and all of the family and for all of this community, we are still in the plunge pool of turbulence and confusion". "If our faith means anything, we believe together as a Christian community, the words at the ceremony of baptism will be our strength."

Hearses leaving St Brigid's Church.

Earlier, in a reminder of the happy family life in the Collins home, Tara brought a photo of Claire, Joe, Sara and herself sharing dinner together and Fr Hillery said that the photo shows them "happy and laughing which is something they did often thanks to Claire’s great cooking and Joe’s barbeque skills".

Sara brought up a photo of the couple's much-loved dog, Buddy, who Fr Hillery remarked "was the best walked dog in Kilnaboy thanks to their love of walking".

Claire’s mother, Angela presented a book to symbolise Claire’s love of reading while a cycling helmet was offered up to symbolise Joe's "love of cycling and and his many great friends he had at Dolmen cycling".

Sara’s partner, Michael, presented a hat belonging to their baby son, Rian and "Claire and Joe’s grandson who they truly cherished," according to Fr Hillery.

Gardaí are not looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths of the couple and a Garda file will be prepared for Clare County Coroner Isobel O’Dea for an inquest to be held at a later date.

After requiem mass at Corofin, the bodies of the couple were brought for a cremation service to Shannon crematorium.