THERE were scenes of intense sadness in the quiet east Cork village of Shanagarry yesterday as the body of Bernadette O'Brien, the teenager who died after being crushed at the Point Theatre last weekend, was laid to rest.
Bernadette's family was surrounded by hundreds of sympathisers in the church near her home, where Requiem Mass was con celebrated. Among the congregation were classmates from the transition year at St Colman's Community College. During the readings, they broke down as they remembered their friend and fellow student, who was described as having two great loves in her life, Manchester United and music.
Dozens of wreaths were laid in the church grounds before the Mass, which had to be broadcast outside to facilitate the large number of mourners. One wreath was from the Smashing Pumpkins, Bernadette's favourite group, who were performing at the Point last Saturday when she suffered fatal internal injuries in a crush.
Another was from Virgin Records, the group's recording label. Other floral tributes bore poignant messages, remembering a young woman full of life, who, the congregation was told, had been planning her trip to Dublin since last Christmas.
In his homily, Father David Herlihy said it was difficult to find words to comfort Bernadette's mother, Mrs Anne Marie O'Brien, her father, Mr Noel O'Brien, and her only brother, Brendan (15).
After the removal on Monday evening last, he added, he had spent a precious 10 minutes with Mr O'Brien in Bernadette's room, looking at her poster collection, her records and the music project on which she had been working. "For her, last weekend was the summit. Manchester United won the double and she was going to see her favourite group in the flesh."
Father Herlihy said "It is very hard to find words to explain the death of a young person in such a sudden and shocking way. It is very hard to find words that would bring comfort and healing.
"There are times in life when words fail. Bernadette's death is one such time. All we can do is to offer prayers and be here for her family. It is almost possible to touch the wave of sympathy and support for the family, not just in the locality but from the whole country.
"Because the shock of Bernadette's death was felt by the entire country, especially by teenagers, thousands of peopled could say there but for the grace of God go I after this awful tragedy, but today, the O'Brien family must travel that road.
"It is unnatural when a young life is lost in this way. We understand when an elderly person dies because that is part of the natural process, but not when a child not yet 17 loses her life. It seems unnatural, wrong and unfair.
"Her parents had great hopes for Bernadette. She was in the prime of her life. Maybe she would go on to college, or settle down and have a family. But this was all cut short in one moment of pain and suffering. In a moment, we were plunged into total blackness. There was no time to prepare.
"She set out last Friday full of life and expectation. There is a tendency to say that it was the will of God, but I don't think so.
"No human parents would wish for it to happen, and I don't believe that God did either. But God gives us the gift of freedom, a gift cherished especially by teenagers, and one of the sad consequences of that is that a tragic death can occur."
Bernadette's parents could be assured, Father Herlihy added, that her death was of great concern to God and that she was in a better place.
"Today we reach out to the only light that can penetrate the darkness, that is, the light of Christ. We will remember Bernadette as a girl full of life, a practical joker, a friendly, pleasant person who was much loved."