Last Sunday was Aimee McGrath's big moment, leading the church choir for the first time in a hymn about faith, devotion and love.
"I know that from other members of the group she was that little bit nervous beforehand, which was unlike her," said Fr Peter Farrelly at the Junior Certificate student's funeral Mass yesterday.
Members of that same choir at the Church of the Assumption in Beauparc, Co Meath, sang the same hymn, May The Words, in memory of a girl who loved to sing, was a great worker and hugely popular in the small parish.
Aimee (15) was the last of the five schoolgirls to be buried, bringing closure to a traumatic series of funerals for the small Co Meath community following last Monday's bus crash.
Her funeral had been delayed to allow for the burial of Claire McCluskey (18), Deirdre Scanlon (17), Lisa Callan (15) and Sinéad Ledwidge (15) on Thursday.
Hundreds of people gathered inside and outside the church, including members of her local GAA club, Seneschalstown, and secondary pupils from the Loreto convent, who formed a guard of honour as her coffin was carried inside the church.
The gifts brought up during the offertory procession by her parents, Ger and Mary, and sisters Sarah (18) and Lisa (11), were a reminder of a busy, vivacious girl: there was the cushion she made for her home economics exam; Meath and Man Utd jerseys; a mobile phone; and a stuffed bunny rabbit, one of her favourite toys.
Dozens of bouquets of flowers were also left beside her remains, including a floral tribute from her favourite pop group, Westlife. Her skills at babysitting were recalled during the Mass, which brought her into contact with many families in the parish.
At the local shop where she worked she always had a smile, said friends, and a special treat for any of the children she babysat.
"She was her own girl. She always had plenty to say. When the choir sang, she was always there. When she joined the altar servers, you could absolutely depend your life on her," Fr Farrelly said. "These are just glimpses of a loving, caring life, not just in her school, but also in the parish."
Her schoolfriend Marian Sheehy said her class would never forget Aimee's big personality, how she was always there to sort out other people's problems and give someone a hug or a kind word.
"No one will ever replace you," Marian said, to warm applause. "Your warm bubbly smile is keeping us strong."
Many of her schoolfriends outside the church, who formed a guard of honour for their classmate, hugged and sobbed in each others' arms.
Amid the outpouring of grief, Fr Farrelly told the congregation that Aimee's life, and those of the other four schoolgirls, had not been wasted. "We have all been changed," he said. "We have great memories of Aimee, and our lives have been improved by her . . . These five girls have awakened the faith of this parish and Donore, a faith that has been shaken into life." He also said debate surrounding school buses would also help to raise issues that needed to be addressed regarding the safety of children.
Fr Farrelly also thanked the media for their discretion in covering the tragedy and the tributes they paid to the girls in print, radio and television.
Among those in attendance at the funeral Mass were the President's aide-de-camp, Col Ray King, the Taoiseach's aide- de-camp, Comdt Tony McKenna, Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey, CIÉ chairman John Lynch, and Assistant Garda Commissioner Eddie Rock.
Before Aimee was buried in the cemetery adjoining the church at Beauparc, the Bishop of Meath, Dr Michael Smith, said these had been demanding days for the area, but the community had come together to support each other.
While Aimee and the four schoolgirls who died, Claire, Deirdre, Lisa and Sinéad, were vivacious young girls whose lives had been cut short, their memories would live on, he said.
"Each of these young lives has given enormous gifts and love to their families," Dr Smith said, "and I hope that their memory will, over time, help to ease the pain."