"We are human and we must cry out, storming the doors of heaven in protest. Why Lord did you take such a good man from us?" asked theatre director Garry Hynes of her brother Jerome's death in a eulogy at his funeral Mass in Wexford yesterday.
"But Lord why, most of all, did you take this wonderful, loving man from the woman he adored and the children he worshipped - these four people, Alma, Conor, Feargal and Robbie, who were the reason and purpose and endless pleasure of his life?"
Jerome Hynes, chief executive of Wexford Festival Opera, died suddenly last Sunday night while addressing a gathering in Wexford's Theatre Royal. He was 45.
"We are left to speculate what he might have achieved had you spared him," his sister added, "but you did not, and in our aching grief we must find some way over the years to accept that.
"We are bereft of you, Jerome, and will struggle with our lives without you. For me, nothing will ever be the same again."
She said her loss was nothing to that of Alma and their sons. And yet might not there be "a way into a future without you Jerome", as so many of his fine qualities "are all there forever in your adored lads.
"Alma, you had too, too short a time with this man who found the deepest happiness it is possible to find on this earth with you. But his love will protect and console and be about you for every day of your life."
She quoted the poem To My Dear and Loving Husband by Anne Broadstreet, written four centuries ago and which she said could have been written for Jerome and Alma.
She concluded: "Thank you Lord for the love, the privilege and grace of Jerome's short life."
Actress Marie Mullen spoke of Jerome's presence on Inis Meán earlier this month "to witness the sun setting on the plays of John Millington Synge" at the last performance of Druid's Synge Cycle.
Speaking after both women had addressed the congregation, Bishop Eamonn Walsh, apostolic administrator to Ferns diocese, said: "Your words make us all want to shake our fists at God."
He continued: "All I can say is that death is part of the bitter-sweet mystery of life. Our belief in life after death gradually helps us to see things through. But that is for tomorrow."
Chief mourners were Alma, Conor, Feargal and Robbie Hynes; his mother Carmel, his sisters Garry and Aedhmar, brother Donal, mother-in-law Madge, aunt Phyllis McCormack and her son Micheál.
President Mary McAleese was represented by Capt Lorraine Fahy and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern by Comdt Michael Murray. Mayor Tommy Carr represented Wexford Borough Council, while Ted Howlin represented Wexford Festival Opera.
Politicians included former arts ministers Síle de Valera and Michael D Higgins; Fine Gael MEP Avril Doyle and Labour senator Kathleen O'Meara.
The Mass was celebrated by Fr Jim Fegan, with Fr Aodhán Marken and Fr Kyran Murphy assisting. Bishop Walsh officiated. Also present were the Rev Maria Jansson, Church of Ireland rector in Wexford, and Fr Thomas of the Coptic Church. Soloist was Sinéad Campbell.
Describing Jerome as "that joy-filled man", Fr Fegan said his family and "we his friends have lost an irreplaceable jewel. Memories of his soft-spoken voice, his happy outlook and smiling face will never be buried."
Among the large congregation were playwrights Tom Murphy and Billy Roche; actress Jane Brennan, author Colm Tóibín; Arts Council chairwoman Olive Braiden; Irish Times managing editor Gerry Smyth; the newspaper's Arts Editor Deirdre Falvey and columnist Fintan O'Toole.
Also present were actors Seán McGinley, Mick Lally, Barry McGovern, Eamonn Morrissey; columnist Medb Ruane; Michael Colgan, director of the Gate Theatre; Fiaich Mac Conghail of the Abbey Theatre; Ben Barnes, Brian Jackson and Martin Fahy, all formerly of the Abbey; Eithne and Liam Healy; theatre director Michael Scott, economist Paul Sweeney; Kevin Healy, formerly of RTÉ; arts adviser Michael Ronayne; Patrick Sutton of the Arts Council; Pádraig Breathnach, formerly of the Arts Council, and Tony Ó Dálaigh, formerly of the Dublin Theatre Festival.