The loss of seven fishermen in two trawler tragedies last month had touched the heart of the nation and brought home to everyone the perils of the fishing industry, mourners at two special Masses heard over the weekend.
At a special Mass to celebrate the life of Honeydew IIskipper Ger Bohan, from Kinsale, Co Cork, Fr Myles McSweeney recalled how the loss of Mr Bohan and his Polish crewman, Tomas Jagla, had "touched our community and indeed the whole country".
Fr McSweeney told a congregation at St John the Baptist's Church in Kinsale on Saturday that the past few weeks had been painful for Ger's wife, Mary, and their children, James, Sally Jean, Anthony and Mary, as well as his parents and siblings. "We waited, we hoped and we prayed for some good news but sadly the ocean hasn't returned our fishermen," said Fr McSweeney.
Hundreds of mourners packed the church in Killea in Dunmore East, Co Waterford on Friday night for a special Mass for the crew of the Pere Charles, Tom and Pat Hennessy, Pat Coady, Billy O'Connor and Andriy Dyrin from the Ukraine.
The Bishop of Waterford, Dr William Lee, celebrated the Mass and the families of the five men including Mr Dyrin's wife, Natasha who had travelled from the Ukraine, heard Fr Brian Power tell the congregation: "It's very difficult to have closure without the bodies - it adds to the pain and as a community we share your grief."