By Aimee Rose Harte
THE funeral took place on Sunday afternoon of the 18 year-old Castlefin man who was killed in a road accident outside Lifford in the early hours of Friday morning.
Conor Holmes from Hillhead, Castlefin was laid to rest in his hometown yesterday where shocked mourners turned out to St Mary's Church in huge numbers to pay their respects to the teenager. Mr Holmes, a son of Gerard and Marian Holmes, was fatally injured when his car was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle 12.30am on Friday. Two other men, one of whom was a friend of the deceased, also sustained serious injuries in the smash, which happened on a straight stretch of road on the main Lifford to Castlefin Road.
Although investigations are ongoing, it is believed the deceased had been driving a white Nissan Micra when it collided with another vehicle, a Volkswagen Golf.
Emergency services arrived on the scene shortly after and Mr Holmes was taken to Letterkenny Hospital. He was pronounced dead some time later.
Two other males were also taken to Letterkenny General where they were treated for serious injuries. They are not thought to be life-threatening. Garda investigations into the circumstances surrounding the smash are continuing.
The road was sealed off for technical examinations and roads diversions remained in place on Friday. Funeral Mass was celebrated Fr Desmond Polke at 2pm in St Mary's Church, Castlefin, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Mr Holmes had recently started a computer programme at FAS in Ballyraine and had completed acomputer course at Letterkenny Institute of Technology last year. He is a former pupil of St. Columba's College, Stranorlar. His heartbroken mother Marian said she and her husband had bought their son the vehicle so he could travel to Letterkenny.
"He was a wee angel, the best young son that any mother could hope for. Our hearts are broken," she said.
Local councillor Gerry Crawford said the community is in shock.
"This is very tragic incident and, as is the case with the death of any young person, it has had a profound effect on the whole community," he said.
He is survived by his parents Gerard and Marion, his brother Aaron, sister Aine, grandparents Maisie and Jimmy Holmes, and a wide circle of family and friends.
