A somber joint funeral was held to remember and honor three members of a family tragically killed in a car accident. Thomas Reilly, 45, and his wife Bridget Reilly, 46, along with their beloved three-year-old grandson, Tom Reilly, were passengers in a car involved in a single-vehicle collision outside Cashel, Co. Tipperary, last Tuesday evening.
The young boy’s parents, Thomas and Diane Reilly, both aged 22, sustained serious injuries in the crash and are currently receiving medical treatment. Diane, despite her injuries, attended the funeral wearing a black T-shirt bearing the words ‘RIP Son’ with a photograph of her late child printed on the back.
The heart-wrenching funeral Mass was held at Saint John the Baptist Church in Cashel, with parish priest Fr. Enda Brady as the principal celebrant, joined by Fr. Patrick Burns, Fr. Pat Coffey, and Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly of Cashel and Emly. Reverend James Mulhall, the Dean of Cashel representing the Church of Ireland, was also in attendance.
During the service, two of the late grandfather Thomas Reilly’s sisters, Margaret and Ellen, lit four candles – three for the back-seat passengers who lost their lives and one for the parents who are now seriously injured.
The altar was adorned with numerous photographs depicting the inseparable grandparents and their beloved grandson, surrounded by flowers, including a poignant blue and white floral tribute reading ‘Baby Tom.’
In his emotional address to the congregation, Fr. Brady acknowledged the profound grief and the overwhelming loss that has enveloped the family and community. He remarked on the devastating impact of the tragic incident and the deep personal connections that transcend statistics and numbers.
Fr. Brady emphasized that the deceased family members were not mere statistics but individuals with faces, hearts, and personalities. He reminded mourners that their memory would live on through the love, laughter, and interactions they shared with their loved ones.
President Michael D Higgins and Commandant Claire Mortimer, representing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, were among the dignitaries present. Members of the emergency services, including the Gardaí, the National Ambulance Service, and the fire service, as well as representatives from Tipperary University Hospital in Clonmel, also paid their respects.
The joint funeral concluded with a touching procession as the three coffins were carried from the church grounds in horse-drawn white carriages and laid to rest in Cormac’s Cemetery after the Mass.
