‘Sinead so much loved in the hearts of so many’
‘ When you walk through a storm Hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of a storm
There’s a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark...’
THE glorious chimes of YNWA hit the highest part of St Peter’s and bounced down, spreading a strange sense of calm across a sea of people.
When Sinead Maguire said goodbye, she said it in style.
Last Thursday morning, as the grey clouds of rain parted for a bright blue sky to shine, a community came together to say farewell to an angel returning home.
Sinead passed away suddenly the previous weekend. In the blink of an eye, a teenager was gone from the lives of so many.
The overwhelming sight of hundreds of young people, with tear stained cheeks, flocking into St Peter’s was a fitting tribute to the Greenhills girl, many of her friends holding single red roses.
For parents Sharon and Ged, and brothers, Sean and Toby, nana Pauline, aunts, uncles, godparents, cousins, friends, the emotions ranged from smiles and laughter to deep, throbing sorrow.
Sinead was a lady of many parts, a tap dancer, an actress, loved her make up and was a Liverpool fan, the centre of attention, the centre of many shattered lives.
Fr Barry Matthews spoke movingly of Sinead, ‘so much loved in the hearts of so many people.’ He spoke of the ‘palpable sense of loss when we bury one so young,’ but Sinead had ‘ left a lifetime of memories and a lifetime of love.’
She was baptised in the same church in December 2001 and the feelings were the same almost 19 years on, hearts were full of love for her then and last Thursday, that love was still strong and unbroken.
Young people were a source of great comfort to the family in the days after her death, many arriving at the family home in Shrewsbury Manor with pictures and shared memories.
They came from St Brigid’s and the Presentation and Greenhills, ‘so full of fun and laughter.’
She was the producer of the school play once, and loved being the centre of things.
‘She was full of life with a big smile and a great laugh. You could rely and depend on Sinead, she always had time for her friends,’ Fr Barry added.
She loved being part of the Panto and entering dance competitions, going to concerts and listening to music.
And of course, Liverpool and Anfield, the other heaven....
She held a great sense of faith, an image of Padre Pio resting on her coffin on her final journey.
Her mother, in some extraordinary moment of faith and courage, managed to read the epic words of Edgar Albert Guest, ‘A Child of Mine’ - a poem of immense fortitude...
‘I will lend you, for a little time,
A child of mine, He said.
For you to love the while he lives, And mourn for when he’s dead.
It may be six or seven years, Or twenty-two or three.
But will you, till I call him back, Take care of him for Me?
He’ll bring his charms to gladden you, And should his stay be brief.
You’ll have his lovely memories, As solace for your grief.’
On behalf of the family Fr Barry, who concelebrated with Fr Declan from the Augustinian and Canon Sweeney, thanked all those who had stood with them this week and he urged the young people to ‘ talk about Sinead, share the memories and don’t journey through the pain alone.’
Maybe somewhere up above, she’ll meet Bill Shankly, a man before her time, but a Liverpool legend who once said, ‘A lot of football success is in the mind. You must believe you are the best and then make sure that you are.’ Shanks will meet the best this week.
‘ Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you’ll never walk alone’