AISLING WAS A VIVACIOUS, JOYFUL SOUL
THE tragic death of Aisling Dolan in a car accident in Enniscorthy last Tuesday has deeply affected numerous people in the New Ross area, including in her former school St Mary’s, where students have been supported in the wake of the incident.
A room was set up at the school on Thursday for Aisling’s former classmates to gather and reflect on her life, two days after she was killed in an horrific three vehicle accident outside Enniscorthy town, when the car in which she and her mother Breda were travelling was all but destroyed in a collision with a jeep.
Principal John Michael Porter said Aisling sat her Leaving Certificate at the school, where she spent six years, last June. ‘We knew her very well. Word came through on Tuesday through her close knit group of friends that there was an accident.
‘We just didn’t know it was going to touch us that closely.’
Up to 20 of Aisling’s friends spent time together in the room and some of former classmates sang at her funeral Mass in St Mary & St Michael’s Parish Church on Saturday.
Mr Porter said: ‘We met a few of her friends around town and they seemed a bit lost so we created a room for them with sofas and chairs where they could sit down and chat and go through some memories of Aisling themselves over a cup of tea or coffee, rather than meeting in the town.’
Mr Porter said Aisling’s death has affected her former teachers, as well as students. ‘She was into everything in school and was a student who had a good core of friends. We are just heartbroken. It’s hard to believe she was here at our end of year Mass last year – how fickle life is.
‘Aisling was someone who put her heart into everything she turned her hand to. She had that rare quality of being intelligent and very sociable and friendly and I’m sure she would have blossomed as a childminder.’
He said: ‘ There is a sense of sadness here. She will be remembered as a fun loving, joyful girl who participated fully in school life. She left here with a group of friends who are friends forever and they have rallied around each other and we will all keep a very, very positive memory of Aisling.’
He said: ‘It’s a sad, poignant time as we were about to have our sixth year Mass as our sixth year students are preparing to move on with their lives and Aisling was here last year and now she is gone forever.’
Describing Aisling as a vivacious character who had a lovely smile, Mr Porter said she was part of a group of friends who were very supportive of each other.
‘Some of her friends had gone through personal tragedies recently – within a short space of time. You have people who have lost mothers, sisters and some of the girls lost a close friend and Aisling was always there for them. I am sure they will be there for each other and for her family now. As our school motto states “There is no strength without unity”.’
A special prayer was said in her name at the school’s end-of-year Mass, along with a prayer of the faithful for her family, and Mr Porter recalled her joyful spirit in her address.
He said it is important that students continue with their studies while remembering Aisling and the end of year mass and the annual talent show took place as normal last week.
‘We had our talent show on Friday and have kept things as normal as possible as that is what psychologists advise. Aisling could have meant so much to someone else so we have supports available.
‘ The school community is very, very strong here and in this time we rally round each other and make sure whoever needs support will get it.’