HAVING lost a wife, mother, two brothers and three sisters it seemed impossible that the Maher family could bear any more pain. But early yesterday morning the fire that devastated their lives claimed its seventh victim.
Mr Colm Maher (27) died from she burns suffered as he tried to save his invalid brother Barry from the fire.
A Laois county footballer and one of the top forwards in the Portarlington club, he had been due to line out again in a few weeks to play for the club in the senior championship. Instead, he will lie buried alongside the other six members of his family.
The pain of what happened on Sunday morning will never bed erased for the remaining members of the Maher family but the people of this Co Laois town are, doing everything in their power to try to ease it, and make their lives bearable in the future.
This help began even as the fire raged. In his homily yesterday Father Michael Noonan, parish priest remembered the effort. "The neighbours from Marian Hill were magnificent, assisting Alo, Colm, Dominic and Vincent, providing blankets and rugs, tea and sandwiches, opening their hearts and homes for such a wonderful display of Christian charity and we ask God to bless all those others who helped in so many ways.
This desire to help was evident on Monday morning. Even as the Garda forensic team examined the site of the fire those same neighbours in Marian Hill were out with buckets collecting money.
That afternoon about 50 cars were parked outside the Portarlington GAA club as meetings were held to discuss fund raising, the funeral arrangements, catering and other matters.
Hundreds of townspeople were involved in organising the removals and funerals, including those who lined the route in a guard of honour, all wanting to show their sympathy and solidarity with the Maher family.
Local curate Father P.J. Byrne explained that the family had been involved in almost every club and association in Portarlington and because there were so many members they had friends at every age group.
Vincent Maher, who last week was voted Student of the Year was due to sit this morning for Leaving Cert English. Instead, he was burying his family. The Department of Education rescheduled the exam so that his classmates could form a guard of honour.
Businesses in the town closed from Tuesday evening to yesterday afternoon as a mark of respect.
Donations to the Maher Family Fund continue to pour in. According to Mr Jim Mangan, chairman of the Portarlington GAA club, they have already raised £35,000. This is apart from the money which is being put into a special AIB account. "It's coming in from all over the country. People are really responding," said Mr Mangan. The prison officers in Portlaoise Prison have donated £7,000.
The fund raising group hopes to raise £150,000 and the money will be used to rehouse the family and to replace all the belongings which were lost in the fire.
Donations to the Maher Family Fund can be made to the AIB Portarlington number 13782012.