They came in their droves, Travellers and settled alike, to show their support to a family based for so long on the outskirts of Cashel that hardly anyone can remember a time when there were not O’Reillys living at Wallers Lot.
The vigil in memory of Tom (45) and Bridgie O’Reilly (46) and their young grandson, Tom (3), was only organised on Wednesday afternoon, but the response was prompt and impressive. People filled the 18th century St John the Baptist’s Church on Friar Street in the heart of the town on Thursday afternoon.
Tom and Bridgie’s eldest son, Tom jnr, and his wife, Diane, remain in a serious but stable condition at Tipperary University Hospital in Clonmel following the fatal single vehicle crash in the Windmill area of Cashel on Tuesday.
But Tom snr and Bridgie’s eight other children – Shannon, Annemarie, Jimmy, Willie, Chloe, Britney, Kevin and Kelly – were all in attendance at the prayer vigil which saw family and friends rallying around them after their dreadful loss.
Also present were Tom snr’s parents, Willie and Nellie, his siblings Bridgie, Mag, Ellen, Willie, Michael, Johnny, Jim and Paddy, and Bridgie’s parents, Thomas and Hannie Purcell from Clonmel, and her siblings Michael, Jim, Rocky, Ann, Mag, Ellen and Mary.
Fr Enda Brady, Cashel’s parish priest, was called to the scene of the fatal crash on Tuesday night and anointed Tom snr, Bridgie and little Tom. He on Thursday welcomed the O’Reilly family and all their relatives and friends to a gathering that he hoped would help them cope with the enormity of their loss.
“Welcome to you all on these days of grief and loss, when we don’t know what to say, when we want to express our sympathy and show our support to the O’Reilly family on the loss of young Tom and his grandparents, Tom and Bridget,” he told those who had packed the church.
“The schools in our community, the local public representatives, those joining us from their workplaces on the webcam and all gathered here to remember them, to pray for the injured and to take time to come to terms with the awful events of Tuesday night are with you at this time.”
Tom snr’s brother Michael lit three candles – one for his late brother, sister-in-law and grandnephew – while Cathleen Monaghan, a member of the Traveller community, lit a fourth candle for Tom and Diane as people prayed for their recovery.
Rev James Mulhall, Church of Ireland minister in Cashel, and Fr Pat Burns read from scripture before mayor of Cashel Cllr Declan Burgess and local Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne read prayers.
Tom snr and Bridie’s children attend local primary and secondary schools, and St John the Baptist Boys Primary School principal Will Ryan, St John the Baptist Girls Primary School principal Mary Andrews and Cashel Community School principal John Gallagher read the Prayers of the Faithful.
Solidarity
Speaking afterwards, Fr Brady said the huge turnout reflected the massive impact that the tragedy has had on Cashel and the wish of people to show their solidarity and support for the O’Reillys.
“The huge turnout speaks for itself,” he said. “I’ve been saying since the very beginning of this whole thing that Clonmel is so close to us that the tragedy there sort of flowed over into Cashel and there are connections – family and friendships – at the same time.
“And I think the school thing is hugely important. The reality is while Tom and Bridget were grandparents, they were also parents with children still in the primary schools as well as in the secondary school. I think that’s what resonated with the people of the town as well as the poor little three year old. I mean, even a rock would have a feeling about that.”
Speaking as he left the vigil, Johnny Morrissey from Bansha said it was encouraging to see such a large turnout given the gathering was organised only a day earlier. He expects a similarly large attendance at the funerals on Sunday.
‘Very decent people’
“The town is devastated,” he said. “It’s a huge shock and, of course, they are a very well-known family, very popular, very decent people. I knew Tom to see but I knew Bridget a bit better. It’s an awful thing, it doesn’t even bear thinking about. It’s very hard to come to terms with for the town and the county.”
Sinead Carr, from just outside Cashel, said she was shocked and saddened to learn of the tragedy which came so soon after last Friday’s crash in Clonmel in which four young people were killed. She described both events as devastating for the families affected.
“Three members of the same family, a family left without parents at the end of the day,” she said. “Now the O’Reillys are a great clan in terms of looking after each other as well, but it’s a huge blow. Anybody with a heart and a soul could not but feel for them. Nobody should have to go through that.”