Poignant farewell as three women killed in road tragedy laid to rest
Robin Schiller THE rural parish of Bruckless bid an emotional goodbye to three local women who tragically died following a road collision.
Two separate services were held at the Church of St Joseph and St Conal in the Donegal village as the funeral Mass of Margaret McGonagle (69) and her daughter Mairead Mundy (38) took place first, shortly after 11am.
Later in the afternoon the third road traffic victim from the quiet parish, Rachel Battles (37), was laid to rest following a service attended by hundreds of mourners.
Chief celebrant Fr James Sweeney, who presided over both funerals, paid tribute to the three women, whose passing caused a sense of shock that has permeated across the country.
Ms McGonagle, mother to Roger, Geoffrey and Mairead, was described as a caring woman who dedicated her life to her family as well as others.
An emotional letter read out at her funeral highlighted the effect her work as a counsellor had on others.
“Mags, I don’t know where to start, how to express how grateful I am to you. I have battled with my mental health for many years and thought it was something I would just have to accept to live with – that was until I met you.
“You have changed my life completely, saved me as a person,” the poignant letter, read out by Fr Sweeney, said.
Her daughter Mairead was a ‘home bird’ who was a talented Irish dancer, mourners were told.
The three women were returning from a holiday in Turkey where they had celebrated Mairead’s first wedding anniversary to her husband Pauric.
“Having just celebrated their first wedding anniversary, it was tragically cut short by last week’s accident. Mairead was much loved by many people, especially by [her son] Caoimhin, Pauric, her family and her friends,” Fr Sweeney said.
Following the funeral Mass, the two coffins were brought to the adjacent graveyard on the church grounds, where the mother and daughter were buried side by side.
At 2.30pm the funeral of Ms Battles, a friend of Margaret and Mairead, took place.
This time a lone black hearse made its way along the short road to the church, carrying Ms Battles’s coffin, which was adorned with flowers.
The service heard how the mother of four had only recently renewed her wedding vows.
The mourners were told how her kind-hearted nature led to her becoming a carer for people in the community.
Following the service, Ms Battles was buried in the same burial ground as her friends.