The north Cork town of Newmarket came to a standstill yesterday for the funerals of the two victims of Monday morning's car crash.
Jimmy McAuliffe (39), a married father of four from Barry's Place in Newmarket, was laid to rest at Clonfert Cemetery after requiem Mass at St Mary's Church, Newmarket.
Gerard O'Keeffe (25), Duarrigle, Newmarket, was buried at Clonfert Cemetery only a few hours later after 2.30pm Mass at St Mary's.
Mr O'Keeffe was driving the car which collided with another car at Garraunawarrig on the main Newmarket-Kanturk road early on Monday morning, killing both men.
Kanturk parish priest Fr Pat Linehan, celebrant of the requiem Mass for Mr O'Keeffe, said the only positive outcome of the tragedy would be if their deaths caused all of those who mourned them to be more careful on the roads. "This double tragedy on Monday morning has brought a sense of gloom, disbelief and bewilderment to the O'Keeffe and McAuliffe families, the community in Newmarket and surrounding areas.
"For some, this tragedy is another statistic of the death toll on our roads, but for all of us here today, it is so real," he said. Fr Linehan spoke of Mr O'Keeffe's love of cars and bikes and of how he enjoyed his friends and life.
Mr O'Keeffe is survived by his parents Michael and Anne, his sister Marguerite, his girlfriend Agnes, who was also injured in the accident, and his many relatives and friends.
Earlier, the family of Mr McAuliffe broke down outside the church as a biker drove past the hearse containing the coffin revving his engine loudly as a poignant mark of farewell to the former motorbike enthusiast.
Fr Jim Lenihan, a first cousin of the deceased, who was the main celebrant at the funeral Mass, reminded the gathered mourners of Mr McAuliffe's great love of his family and his friends in the motorbike fraternity.
Mr McAuliffe is survived by his wife Kathleen, his children John, Maggie, Con and Jim, his mother Peggy, sisters, brother, relatives and friends.
Meanwhile, gardaí have named two men killed in a two vehicle collision near Mitchelstown, Co Cork on Monday afternoon as William O'Donoghue (44), Gortnahown, Mitchelstown and Michael Hallinan (47), Ashford, Ballagh, Co Limerick. The two men will be laid to rest today following ceremonies in Mitchelstown parish church and Ashford church in Broadford, Limerick.
