Community unites in grief at prayer vigil in memory of four Clonmel crash victims

A view of the huge crowd gathered at the prayer vigil at Kickham Plaza in Clonmel this evening (Sunday, August 27). Pictures John D. Kelly  

A sombre silence hung over Clonmel’s Kickham Plaza on Sunday evening even though several thousand people were packed into the civic space.

The recently opened public venue at the former Kickham Army Barracks was built primarily as a place where the people of the town could gather to celebrate.

But on this sunny evening they were drawn there for the saddest reason possible - to mourn the untimely, tragic deaths of four beautiful young people whose lives were cruelly cut short in a car accident just a ten minute walk away on the Mountain Road last Friday.

The estimated 2,000 people were gathered at the plaza for the prayer vigil in memory of brother and sister Luke (24) and Grace (18) McSweeney, Nicole Murphy (18) and Zoey Coffey (18). It was a massive community show of solidarity with the devastated families of the four deceased and their friends. The congregation included some grieving relatives and many of the four young people’s friends, neighbours and acquaintances.

At the front of the congregation stood a row of Leaving Cert graduates from Clonmel’s Presentation Secondary School wearing lilac Class of 2023 hoodies. Grace and Zoe had been their friends and fellow Leaving Cert classmates.

An evening like this should have been a time of relaxation after receiving their exam results. Instead, pain and grief were etched on their faces.

The moving prayer service began at the stroke of 6.30pm with a beautiful performance of Ave Maria sung by Aoife Murphy.

Mayor of Clonmel Cllr Richie Molloy welcomed the local clergy, council dignitaries and especially the people of the town and spoke of how proud he was at the way the town had come together at this very sad time.

He said all their hearts went out to the families of the young people who lost their lives in this tragedy - the most terrible in the town’s living memory.

The Independent councillor described what happened to the four young people as “every parent’s worst nightmare”.

He spoke for all parents at the vigil when he said they were never quite secure in their minds when their children are out until they “hear the latch of the door turning” signalling their return.

Cllr Molloy, who recited a reading from the Book of Wisdom at the vigil, said the people of the town wanted to show the grieving McSweeney, Murphy and Coffey families the community’s feelings of unity and sympathy.

“I think when you look around here tonight, you can feel that in the atmosphere.”

While social media helped organise this event, he said you couldn’t beat human interaction and meeting face to face.

This event was an opportunity to do so, especially for the town’s youngsters, who had never experienced such a tragedy in their lifetime and how fickle life can be that in the blink of an eye everything can change.

Prayers for the deceased were recited at the service by Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Most Rev. Alphonsus Cullinan, Fr John Treacy, PP of SS Peter & Paul’s Parish in Clonmel and Church of Ireland Dean of Cashel Rev. James Mulhall while Canon Billy Meehan, PP of St Mary’s Parish in Clonmel and Chaplain of the Presentation Secondary School, read a reflection written by Joyce Rupp called For One Who Grieves.

The local Muslim community was represented at the vigil by Imams Hafiz Abdul Jalil Mahmud and Dr Abdel Raouf Sallam as were members of the Indian community.

Fr Michael Toomey, PP administrator of Ardfinnan, Grange & Ballybacon Parishes, in his homily said the deaths of Luke, Grace, Nicole and Zoey were “like a massive stone that has hit a stilled lake” with the ripple effect sending shockwaves right across the town and country.

He said the phrase “I don’t know what to say” had been used in the past 48 hours and he confessed it was what he had told the mothers of Zoe Coffey and Nicole Murphy last Friday night because there were occasions in life when no words seemed appropriate, when we enter total sadness and desolation and are numbed speechless.

“This week – that’s exactly what everyone in Clonmel and in Ballypatrick and in Kilsheelan– and right across the country have felt,” he said.

Fr Toomey, who is chaplain of Clonmel’s High School, spoke directly to the hundreds of upset teenagers and young adults at the vigil.

“Particularly to the young people here this evening, the grieving process many of you are experiencing is probably one of shock, pain, guilt, denial.

“If this applies to you then you have begun your grieving journey. A journey which will have most if not all of these emotions at different times in the days ahead.

“It has been such a long weekend. For some it’s still not hit us that Luke, Grace, Nicole and Zoey have died. This doesn’t make sense. Why? Why them? The question we will sadly – never get the answer to. Not in this life at least.”

He paid tribute to the people of the town for rallying around to support the grieving families and the emergency services.

Fr Toomey also praised the friends of Luke, Grace, Nicole and Zoey for the exemplary way they conducted themselves over the weekend and supported one another. He said they were a credit to their parents, families, schools, the town and, above all, themselves.

And he told them: “The best support you have right now – is not just your parents, family, teachers, counsellors, or even me – but the person perhaps right beside you. Your friends and former classmates.

“And you yourselves can be the best support to anyone who is struggling – by doing what most of you have done – cried, hugged, laughed, sat in silence, minding one another – looking out for one another, talking to one another.”

He hoped the coming together of young people not just at this vigil but in the schools and prayer spaces - lighting candles and sharing memories - had helped them in this most difficult time.

“None of us will ever get over their deaths. But we will learn to live with it. It will become part of us and as I said to many of you, it will make you stronger if you grieve Grace, Zoey, Nicole and Luke in a healthy way. 

“We are all here for you, and if you need any kind of help, no matter what the situation or whatever you have a problem with, either emotionally or with any challenge or worry, all you need to do is ask,” he stressed.

Bishop Cullinan welcomed the huge turnout at the prayer service and noted there was “strength and goodness” in being together, consoling one another and standing in solidarity.

John Corry, sacristan of SS Peter & Paul’s Church then sang the poignant, I Watch the Sunrise. The Mayor encouraged people to reach out to local bereavement services for help with dealing with grief, before the service concluded with a recording of Andra Day singing her powerful anthem Rise Up being played over the sound system. Many in the crowd couldn’t hold back the tears as they listened.

Afterwards, young and old placed hundreds of lighting candles and flowers at the plaza bandstand steps in front of two linen covered tables bearing the photos of Luke, Grace, Nicole and Zoey.

Young people huddled in small groups in front of the impromptu shrine, consoling each other. Others stood alone before it in silent prayer and reflection.

A woman leaving the vigil, who didn’t wish to be named, said she had found it a beautiful ceremony and was struck when she arrived by the “eerie quietness” of everybody standing in complete sadness. She said the vigil had been a great way for young people to come together to remember their deceased friends. “Hopefully it will give them some help.”

Martin Gannon travelled from Piltown near Carrick-on-Suir. He had come because his children are the same age as those who died in the accident and his heart went out to their families.

“The service was beautifully done and was needed for the town. It was somewhere for people to meet and have a cry. It was vital. It’s an awful tragedy and you think it could as easily come to your own door as anyone else’s,” he said.