FAMILY TRIBUTES:CELINE CAWLEY had "a beautiful energy which lit up so many lives", her brother Chris told reporters following the sentencing of Celine's husband Eamon Lillis for her manslaughter yesterday.
Mr Cawley broke down in tears outside the Central Criminal Court in Dublin as he paid tribute to his dead sister.
Describing his sister as “a dynamic, kind, successful, fun-loving, caring person,” Mr Cawley said “she had a beautiful energy which lit up so many lives, the lives of family, friends, neighbours and colleagues”.
Speaking to the media, Mr Cawley thanked the family’s “wonderful friends and neighbours who’ve been so kind and supportive in giving us both emotional and practical help for what has been a very distressing and difficult time”.
His voice cracking with emotion, he finished with the words “Celine, we love you.”
Ms Cawley’s brother-in-law Andrew Coonan said the last 14 months had been a very difficult time for the family. He thanked the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Courts Service and the gardaí for their “huge effort”, saying it would be wrong not to acknowledge their “very considerable work”.
“Without singling out necessarily anyone, it would be wrong not to mention the work of Supt Galvin, Det Angela Willis, Fionnuala Olohan and Det Sgt Gary Kelly,” he added.
On Thursday, Celine’s sister Susanna described her as “a good-humoured, roguish, fun, compassionate and caring sister”.
In her victim impact statement, read by prosecuting barrister Mary Ellen Ring SC, she described Celine as someone who could be relied on in a crisis.
“Celine was so generous to all her godchildren and nieces and nephews. She knew all of their birthdays and always got them age-appropriate presents.
“We still miss and will miss you desperately,” she said, before finishing with the words: “Thank God for having known you.”