Connors Family To Be Laid To Rest Today

The funeral has taken place of the Connors family, five of whom died in the Carrickmines fire.

Two of Thomas and Sylvia Connors’ other children – Michael, seven, and Tom, four – survived the fire.

Parish priest of the Travelling people, Fr Derek Farrell spoke of the “tsunami of grief” the families have endured.

Five hearses brought the remains from Balally in south Dublin following yesterday’s funeral.

Sylvia Connors was the sister of Jimmy and Willie Lynch.

“It was agreed to have him baptised at the Easter Vigil, and in the course of the conversation, Thomas said with a glow in his face, “we expect to be back again next year” and sure enough they were back with baby Christopher”.

“I thought it was a hoax, the moment I realised all my family was gone, my brothers and my sister, my brother in law, my sister in law and my nephews and nieces”.

Tara Gilbert (27), who was pregnant, her partner Willy Lynch (25) and their two young daughters Jodie (9) and Kelsey (4) were all interred in the town’s Springfield Cemetery alongside Mr Lynch’s brother Jimmy (39) following a heartwrenching, music-filled ceremony.

Inconsolable, he was applauded by the congregation as he thanked the “people of Ireland” for their support.

On the other side of Wexford Bridge, coastal traffic on the R741 will be diverted at Castlebridge to the N11 via Crossabeg to Kyle Cross and then left towards Wexford, either turning left at the Ferrycarrig or at the Maldron Hotel into the town centre. They never seemed to fall out or have any serious arguments.

“Thomas loved his family, his family was his life.”

“Sylvia, in the words of her mother-in-law Jojo, was “the best girl you could ask for”.

“Before marrying Thomas, Sylvia took very good care of her now late ailing mother, Mary”. Her husband and her children were her life.

“Jim and Christy were very close brothers, very close to their aunts and uncles, and very clever for their age”.

Little Mary was just five months old and when she arrived, was “much treasured by the whole family”, said Fr Farrell.

Read on his behalf, it said: “The Holy Father prays especially for those who have died, and he wishes to assure all their family members, their friends, and the whole Traveller community, of his spiritual closeness and sympathy at this very hard time”.

“As a lasting meaningful tribute to those devastated in this tragedy we must build on the immediate gestures of generosity and sympathy”, he said.

The President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Enda Kenny were represented by their Aides de Camps – and various politicians also attended. Gerry Adams, senator Shane Ross and Richard Barrett TD were amongst those present.