BY MICHAEL BRESLIN
The celebrant, Fr Ian Fee, CC, speaking at last Friday's funeral Mass for the last of the fourth victims of the road traffic accident near Lisnaskea, Danica O'Rourke (17) told the young people among the overflow congregation in Holy Cross Church that they had been a rock to so many since news of the accident broke the previous Sunday morning.
"I want to say to all of you: thank you, thank you. In your own sadness, you have carried your own cross with such dignity.
"You have been with the families, with each other and you have stood tall with this immense weight you have on your shoulders, and you have shown to all of us that the future of our two parishes in good hands".
A line of young people wearing Fermanagh GAA tops - Danica was a keen fan of the team - with joined hands preceded the funeral cortege as it made its way from the far end of Lisnaskea and along Main Street for Holy Cross.
On arrival at the chapel, a guard of honour was in place, made up of pupils from the local St Comhghall's Secondary School which Danica attended, and of her work colleagues in Swift's SuperValu store. At the end of Mass, another guard of honour was waiting, this time made up of members of Carrowshee and Sylvan Hill Association and playing members of Lisnaskea Emmets.
NAMES
Fr Fee told them that the names of Danica, Anita, Peter and Jonathan would be etched in the two communities of Lisnaskea and Newtownbutler for as long as people prayed for their faithful departed.
He told the O'Rourke family that he also wanted to express the sympathies, prayers and thoughts of Bishop Joseph Duffy and, also, of Canon Joseph Mullin, PP who was with the Clogher Diocesan Pilgrimage in Lourdes.
"This morning, I received a phone-call from Aras an Uachtarain and I was asked to convey the thoughts, sympathy and prayers of President Mary McAleese to the four families and to the two communities. I do so, thankfully and gratefully", Fr Fee added.
At Danica's mother's request, Westlife's 'Queen Of My Heart' was played as an exit hymn and, at Communion time, 'Lean On Me' was rendered in response to a request from Danica's friends.
Messrs McCaffrey and Swift had charge of the funeral arrangements.
