Funerals of South Donegal mother and daughter who died in car crash



The parish priest of Bruckless, Co Donegal, has described the deaths of three women from the area in a car crash as ‘a tragedy that has permeated and devastated the community.’
Fr James Sweeney was speaking at the funeral Mass this morning of 69 year old Margaret McGonigle and her daughter, 39-year old Mairead Mundy.
The funeral of the third victim, 37-year old Racheal Battles takes place this afternoon.

Harry Keaney reports from Bruckless:

The two coffins bearing the remains of Margaret McGonigle and her daughter Mairead were taken into the small Church of Saint Joseph and Saint Conal to the strains of the hymn ‘You are Mine’ sung by soloist and organist Herta Kelly, accompanied by Aidan and Kevin O Donnell on fiddle and guitar, and the parish choir.
The church was packed well before the cortege’s arrival from the nearby home of Mairead and her husband Pauric.
Beneath an overcast sky, a number of Guards of Honour were in place outside the church: children from Bruckless National School of which Mairead and her son Caoimhin were past pupils; members the Naomh Ultan U-14 team on which Caoimhin was goalkeeper, members of the South Donegal School Boys Academy 2007 squad, and members of Bruckless Boat Club.
In his homily, Fr Sweeney said the community gave thanks for the lives of all three.
But he said death is always hard, with the sense of loss almost overwhelming, and almost incomprehensible for the human mind to understand.
Fr Sweeney said the tragedy had permeated, devastated and shocked the community.


Margaret was a mother and grandmother, a very well respected member of the community, he said, adding that today their thoughts were with her children, to whom she dedicated her life.
Fr Sweeney recalled how she trained as a counsellor, worked with the Donegal Rape Crisis Centre and helped many others.
He went on to read from a letter written by a person she helped who had suffered from mental health problems.

The letter ended with the letter-writer saying: ‘I will be forever grateful to you.’
Fr Sweeney described Mairead, a champion Irish dancer, as ‘a home bird’ who lived all her life in the local area.
He recalled how she went to live to Glenties but came back to Bruckless after three days.
Fr Sweeney told the congregation, which overflowed into the church grounds outside, that today is a day to join in prayer, unity and support as a community.
Afterwards, Margaret’s and Mairead’s remains were taken to the adjoining cemetery, where they were both laid to rest in separate graves beside each other.
This afternoon, their friend Racheal Battles will be laid to rest in the same graveyard.



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