A priest at the funeral of the eldest of the three teenagers who lost their lives when their car entered the river Corrib in Galway said that a parent should never have to bury one of their children.
Fr Kevin Blade was speaking at the Church of the Resurrection in Ballinfoyle in Galway at the funeral mass of Christopher Stokes (19).
He died along with his neighbour John Keenan Sammon (16) and friend Wojcieck Panek (17) when their car entered the water at Menlo Pier in the early hours of Saturday morning.
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Fr Blade, who concelebrated the mass with Bishop of Galway Michael Duignan and Ballinfoyle parish priest Fr Tony Horgan, said it was unnatural for a parent to have to bury a child.
He said that the deaths of the three friends had shocked and saddened not only the local community in Ballinfoyle and the city, but throughout the country.
Mr Keenan Sammon was laid to rest in Rahoon Cemetery on Wednesday and Mr Panek, who had moved to Galway from his home in Kilkenny for a course, will be cremated on Friday.
Two of the three teenagers died at the scene and Christopher Stokes passed away on Saturday afternoon at University Hospital Galway with his family by his side.
Fr Blade, a former parish priest in Ballinfoyle, expressed sympathy to his parents Anthony and Kate, his brothers Michael, Tommy, Tony, and Martin, and his sisters Annalise, Nicole, Geraldine, Katlyn, and Lucy.
Fr Blade said he had known Christopher Stokes since he was about five or six and he recalled how Christopher and other children in the parish used to avail of the unique design of the church, where the roof almost touches the ground in four corners, as a makeshift slide.
“He would come down with a cardboard box, climb up on the roof and slide down,” said Fr Blade. “He wouldn’t see the danger in it, children don’t. During the summertime Christopher and the other children would get some sticks and make a goal and play soccer there beside the church.
“He enjoyed boxing and he would be outside shadow-boxing, making the moves. There were a few of them out there one day and I went out and said to them that I would take them on. And Christopher turned around and said ‘no father, I wouldn’t like to hurt you’. He gave up boxing for a while and he had just returned to it again last week
“Christopher liked all kinds of music … rave, rock and Irish music. He also enjoyed dancing and he was a fan of the Chelsea football club.
“His mother Kate said she should not be burying my son. It is he who should be arranging my funeral. And Kate, you are so right. No parent should ever bury their child. There is something very sad and inconsolable about a parent having to lay to rest their child,” said Fr Blade.
Members of the Olympic Boxing club, which Christopher had rejoined last week and begun preparations for a tilt at a county championship, formed a guard of honour as the coffin arrived and departed the church in a white carriage drawn by four white horses.
Gifts signifying Christopher’s life which were brought to the altar in the packed church included his boxing wraps, his phone, his favourite drink Red Bull, his hairspray and his man-bag.
His older brother Michael said that Christopher and the other two victims of the accident would never be forgotten.
“God rest the three poor boys were in that car that night. You have broken so many hearts. You loved your mates and they all loved you.
“My little brother, you tried so hard in life to get work to pay for insurance and things like that. As much as you were struggling you always had a smile on your face. I said I would pay for your insurance but you said it was your car and you would pay for it.
“You often said to mummy, ‘enjoy money, it comes and goes, you could be dead tomorrow’, you said. You were right my brother. Rest in peace boys, we all love you.”
Michael Stokes paid tribute to John and Mike Mongan and all the coaches in Olympic Boxing Club for all they do for the youth.
His sister Annalise said she will miss Christopher coming in showing her his new clothes and asking her opinion.
“I miss you coming into my room shadow-boxing, saying ‘gosh I’m some man!’ I used to wait for you ringing me at four or five in the morning asking me to open the door for you. What I would do for you to have called me that night to open the door for you.
"Your heart kept going even though you were 15-20 minutes under the water but you waited until your family came to say goodbye before you went to heaven. We will cherish the time we had with you,” she said.
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