The death of Sharon Grace and her two daughters who drowned in the Slaney river at the weekend were the "most difficult of all deaths" to accept, Fr Seán Gorman told mourners at St Alphonsus's church, Barntown, Co Wexford, yesterday.
Hundred of mourners, including family, friends and schoolchildren, crowded into the local church where the three coffins of Sharon (28), Mikahla (4) and Abby (3) were decorated with soft toys and floral tributes.
Fr Gorman told mourners that while their deaths "overwhelm us with mixtures of emotion that baffle the mind and break the heart", it was not a time for judgment. "We can have feelings of guilt, we can ask questions like did we let Sharon down, could we have said or done something that could have prevented this tragedy?" Fr Gorman said.
"And also we can have feelings of anger, that Sharon chose to leave us so suddenly. We also today could have feelings of despair - has a day ever been this dark before, will the sun ever shine again? Nobody really knows what is in our hearts, only God Himself knows. He understands us better than we understand ourselves. That is why he has reserved for Himself, and Himself alone, the right to judge," Fr Gorman said.
In a tribute to his daughter, a note from Sharon's father, Eddie Reddy, was read out by a relative, Liam Keogh, in which he described her devotion to her daughters. "Amy [ Sharon's eldest daughter] came along, the love of your life. What a job you did, the jewel in the crown. Then Mikahla and Abby too. Two little gems.
"Then you were sick and no one knew. Still, you gave your all, you never asked for help though times were hard. That was you, Shar," he said.
"You gave us 28 great years. We'll sign off for now, but we'll see you, Mikahla and Abby again. We'll will miss you forever and ever. We'll love you to bits. Always."
Following Requiem Mass, the two white coffins of Mikahla and Abby were buried together, alongside the grave of their mother.
Among the mourners at the funeral were Sharon's mother and father, Eddie and Rosie Reddy, her sister Lillian (30) and brother Eddie jnr (23). Her 10-year-old daughter Amy was also presentand her separated husband Barry Grace.
Also there were his parents Pat and Elsie, his sisters Sue Murphy and Leighann Grace, his brothers Vincent and Stewart, and his 14-year-old son Tony.
Meanwhile, local media reported yesterday that shortly before her death Sharon sought help at Ely Hospital, a private hospital a short distance from Kaat's Strand, where her body was discovered. She also had a first meeting with social workers the day before her death where access to her children by their father was discussed.