‘I’ll be forever grateful’
Father of drowned boy pays heartfelt tribute to his son’s rugby teammate Shay who died trying to save Jack, 15
Teens comforted each other
THE grieving father of 15year-old drowning victim Jack Kenneally told mourners that his heart fills with sorrow knowing that another boy lost his life trying to save his son.
At the packed funeral Mass for Jack at Ennis Cathedral, Seán Kenneally said he ‘will be forever grateful’ to Shay Moloney for his attempts to save Jack last Thursday afternoon.
The two ‘brothers in arms’ rugby teammates – both just 15 – died in the double drowning tragedy in a disused quarry at Knockanean outside Ennis.
Standing at the altar and looking skyward, Mr Kenneally said solemnly: ‘Thank you, Shay.’
He added: ‘Jack, it fills with me sorrow to know that Shay lost his life trying to save you.’
Mr Kenneally said that he also can’t forget the bravery of the boys’ friend, Cillian, who jumped into the lake in a desperate attempt to save his friends.
Comforted by his three daughters on the altar as he paid an emotional tribute, Mr Kenneally said: ‘There is now an empty seat at our table, an empty room in our house, but there will never be an empty space in our hearts.’
He said to mourners: ‘I wish it were a bad dream – clearly it is not. Who would have ever believed that something like this would have happened our family?
‘The sense of shock and disbelief is palpable in the town in the last few days.’
Fr Jerry Carey, parish priest of Doora Barefield where the tragedy occurred, said that Jack and Shay ‘are now united forever’ while chief celebrant, Fr Tom Hogan, told mourners that ‘an unbelievable sadness has affected all of us… Two young lads: so quickly their life was no more.’
Jack was the ‘baby’ of the Kenneally family and, according to Fr Hogan, had a special relationship with his three older sisters, Danielle, Katie and Aisling, who doted on him and spoiled him.
Fr Hogan said ‘Jack brought to his family such joy, fun, vitality and humour and annoyance and craic – the whole mixture. He will be forever young in your lives.’
The majority of mourners in the very large crowd were teenagers – with many donning the red and black of Ennis Rugby Club while students from Jack’s Ennis Community College wore their school uniform.
Jack and Shay were stars of the under-15s Ennis rugby team this year and there were large numbers of players from the rival Young Munster under-15s team also in attendance.
Outside, after the Mass, there were heartrending scenes of teenagers comforting each other and wiping away tears as Jack’s coffin, draped in the Ennis RFC colours, was carried to the hearse.
Earlier at the funeral Mass, Mr Kenneally said that Jack was ‘an outstanding person and outstanding athlete and a good friend to many. Jack, if you are only a small bit proud of me as I am of you, I will be a lucky man.’
He said that the void left by Jack’s passing can never be filled, and went on to pay tribute to Jack’s coaches at Ennis RFC.
He said: ‘Ye had a huge impact on Jack’s life. He became a different man when he started playing rugby. He was a rugby star.’
After receiving a standing ovation, Mr Kenneally was embraced by his three daughters.
In a tribute to Jack, his under-15s rugby coach at Ennis RFC, Pádraig Brennan told the congregation: ‘What a young man… What a young man, and he was going all the way.
‘Jack had strength, speed and valour – everything you wanted in a rugby player. He could play anywhere,’ he said.
Jack was laid to rest at Drumcliffe cemetery near Ennis.
Many of the young mourners will attend the funeral of Shay Moloney at the same church today.