‘Kind and selfless’ crash victim laid to rest this morning

Mourners gathered in Strabane this morning to say a final goodbye to a 35-year-old care home worker who was killed in a road traffic collision on the A5 last weekend.

Oonagh Burns, a Strabane native who worked in Three Rivers Care Home in Omagh, was praised as a ‘kind and selfless’ person during her Requiem Mass in St Mary`s Church, Melmount.

“All gathered here are completely overwhelmed, being where we are this morning, doing what we are doing. Things should not be like this,” opened presiding priest, Rev. Michael Doherty.

He went on to describe Oonagh as somebody who was loving, kind and selfless, as exemplified in the commitment she showed to her vocation as a care home worker.

“Oonagh loved the people she cared for and always went above and beyond what was expected.

“One example of this occurred only a few weeks ago when she brought all the residents of Three River in Easter eggs.

“However, an even more profound example was seen when during the darkest days of Covid, Oonagh remained dedicated to looking after the people she cared for. For her, that meant not coming home to see her won family for three months.”

Reflecting on the outpouring of love shown by people in both Strabane and Omagh since her tragic death, Rev. Doherty said, “Since the accident, Oonagh’s family have heard nothing but kind words… this is a sad and cruel goodbye, but let’s remember that our memories of Oonagh will be good and warm and happy…, she lived a short but full life.”