‘DARK CLOUD’ OVER BROSNA AFTER TRAGIC DEATH
THE ‘goodness and kindness’ of the late Kerrie Browne, a nurse at University Hospital Kerry, was remembered on Monday by her family and friends at her funeral Mass in Brosna, following her tragic death in a road traffic accident last week.
Paying tribute to the 26-year-old, Fr Tim Cullinane, said Kerrie was a very caring person.
“What made her really special was her goodness and kindness. She was a very caring person with a great sense of humour, a person full of life who when she entered a room lit up the whole place. One was always in the better for being with her.”
The local church was packed to capacity for the the funeral Mass. Kerrie’s death has brought “a dark cloud of sadness over the whole village and especially over her family and friends,” added Fr Cullinane who said that it was difficult for anyone to make sense of her tragic death.
The nurse and former London Rose contestant died in an horrific two vehicle collision as she was travelling home from work last Wednesday morning, shortly after 8am on the N21 Limerick-Killarney road just outside Castleisland at Meenleitrim.
Ms Browne, the driver and sole occupant of the car, suffered critical injuries. She was treated at the scene and desperate attempts were made to stabilise her condition.
Tragically, she was pronounced dead at the scene before she could be transferred to University Hospital Kerry (UHK).
The scale of the tragedy was underlined by the fact some of the emergency services personnel who attended the scene knew the nurse through her work at UHK.
Gardaí are investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragic accident and have appealed for witnesses.
A native of Brosna, Ms Browne, had worked in London as a nurse and, three years ago, was one of the contestants to represented London in the Rose of Tralee competition.
The young woman had recently returned to Kerry having secured a position at UHK.
She hailed from a well-respected family with deep links to both Kerry GAA and equestrian sports and, as a mark of respect, a planned GAA fixture between St Kieran’s and Kilcummin was cancelled at the weekend.
Kerrie is survived by her parents, Dave and Mag, her sister Andrea and brothers, Kieran and Junior, her boyfriend Eamon, and her nan Nora and granddad Ollie.
At her funeral Mass on Monday symbols of her life were presented, including a passport representing her love of travel and her nurse’s uniform showing her love of her chosen career.
University Hospital Kerry offered their sympathies to her family following her death.
“Management and staff at UHK wish to offer their deepest sympathies to the family of their colleague Kerrie Browne at this tragic time,” a UHK spokesperson said in a statement.