Crash victim had ‘a cheeky smile... a glint in his eye’
Village comes to standstill for tragic Mike
A SMALL Carlow village was brought to a standstill yesterday as hundreds of mourners stood in the pouring rain to pay respects to Michael ‘Mikey’ Kelly, who was killed in a horrific car accident last week.
Mr Kelly was described as a young man known for always having ‘a smile on his face from ear to ear’.
The 25-year-old was killed alongside his two friends in a singlevehicle car crash near Carlow town last week, in what gardaí described as ‘one of the most severe and traumatic cases’ they had ever seen.
He died last Wednesday night when the car in which he was travelling with Katie Graham, 19, and Daryl Culbert, 21, skidded after heavy rain in the townland of Leagh between Graiguenaspiddogue and Kellistown at 11.30pm.
His Requiem Mass was concelebrated by six priests led by Fr Martin Smith, a friend and colleague of Mikey’s mother Rita, who works in the South Eastern Technology University.
He is also survived by his young brother Jordan.
Michael’s car, a black Lexus was parked outside the church in
‘Petrol flowing through his veins’
Hacketstown, as a reminder of his love for motoring.
Six pall bearers carried his oak coffin into St Brigid’s Church where a wreath of white and cream roses and lilies was placed on it.
Mikey’s girlfriend Sasha wept openly as she carried a photograph of him.
In an emotional eulogy, his brother Jordan said: ‘If you told me a few years ago that I would be standing up making a speech for my big brother Mike, I would have presumed it would have been as best man at his wedding to his lovely girlfriend Sasha.
‘Mike was a very soft spoken chap, a cheeky smile and a glint in his eye, like his friend Daryl.
‘I would love to describe Mike as a car enthusiast, or fanatic but that wouldn’t do him justice. He really had petrol flowing through his veins.
‘For anyone who had the pleasure of knowing Mike, you would know that he was training to be an electrician, waiting for his last stint in college before he qualified.
‘But that was just one side of him. Mike’s passions were spending time at home with his family or standing in the shed talking to his friends, and with Sasha he managed to combine the two.
‘I think if I rang and told Mike that Ireland was hit by an earthquake, the first words out of his mouth would be: “Okay but is the shed alright?”
‘I heard many stories from his friends but there were always two things in common – a big smile on his face and his sneakers on his legs.’
Recalling their their realtionship growing up, Jordan said: ‘The main thing I will remember about Mike was his ability to make me laugh even when I didn’t want to.
‘He knew if Jordan cracked a smile, I’m off the hook, however this just didn’t work on me, he knew how to play my Mam too.’
He added: ‘For my point of view I was amazingly blessed as I got to have Mike as a big brother, and although we argued and we had our moments, there was never a doubt in my mind he was there for me.’
Jordan thanked all the emergency services, and anyone who dropped anything up to the family’s house or called up for a chat.
He finished saying that he was sure Mike and Sasha would have eventually married. Symbols of the trainee electrician’s life were brought to the altar by relatives and friends.
A painting by Sasha symbolising their love was brought to the altar, followed by a family photograph of Mikey on the day of his First Holy Communion, and a racing helmet owned by his late father Michael, which he wore at any opportunity he could.
Sasha told the congregation that Mike had once told her: ‘You are the love of my life and we will always be together until the day I die. I won’t have any person more important than you. I want you to know that you are the person I will get down on one knee to ask to marry me.
‘I want you to know that I will never stop loving you. I will love you until the day I die.’
‘I’ll love you until the day I die’