Funerals held for three more crash victims

FUNERALS have taken place for the three of the remaining victims of separate road collisions in Co Tyrone on Boxing Day.

The Requiem Mass for Mary Duffy, who died when the car in which she was travelling with her daughter, grandchildren and son-in-law, heard her described as ‘an inspiration’ by her daughter, Shannon.

In a message read by a friend, she went on to say her late mother was the ‘best mum and the best granny.’

“I will never stop loving you and when we need you we will look up,” the message – read by a friend – continued.

Hundreds of people attended the Requiem Mass in St Patrick’s Church in Dungannon.

In nearby St Joseph’s Church in Galbally, nurses from Craigavon Hospital formed a guard of honour for Imelda Quinn (nee McDonnell) who died as a result of a single-vehicle collision on the M1 also on Boxing Day.

In his homily at the funeral, Fr Paddy McGuckin, said there was no doubt that her family had come through a great loss through her sudden and unexpected death.

“But they will get over it, because their hearts are in the right place and they believe in life after death,” he said.

“Let us not forget the terrible loss to the community at large of the loss of a gentle nurse. She was the kind of nurse you’d be happy to have around around your children. There wasn’t a bad bone in her body.

“My first and lasting memory of Imelda takes me back over 30 years to an occasion when she was just about eight or nine years of age. She trotted out on the stage at a concert my leaving of Galbally after a stay of 20 plus years. She sang a beautiful song in her own childish way – memories are made of this.

“From all of us who mourn her passing may she rest in peace. Amen.”

The funeral of Mrs Jennifer Acheson also took place today. She was laid to rest following a Service at Desertcreat Parish Church near Cookstown.