The sister of a young Longford teenager killed after being struck by a bus last week has told his funeral of how the midlands town "will never be the same again", telling mourners her brother was the “best man to ever walk” its streets.
Melissa McDonnell said she and her family were still coming to terms with the tragic circumstances that surrounded her brother, Martin’s tragic death last Thursday.
19-year-old Martin McDonnell, Farnagh, Longford, was fatally injured after he was struck by a Bus Éireann bus as he walked along the Convent Road area of the midlands town shortly after 6pm.
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The young Longford man had been due to get married In Northern Ireland in just three weeks before tragedy struck.
Addressing mourners inside St Mel’s Cathedral on Tuesday, Melissa fought back tears as she told of how she had been left heartbroken at the loss of her older brother.
“Martin, where do I ever start? Never in my life did I think I would be standing here for you right now.
“You had your whole life ahead of you and I can’t even put into words how much you are going to be missed. You were my best friend.”
Melissa said the suddenness and devastation of last Thursday’s events had left a deep void and one which would be felt throughout the midlands town for some time.
“Martin, you never deserved this and Longford will never be the same without you,” she said. “Your name will forever carry on, Martin McDonnell, the best man to ever walk Longford.”
A single white T-shirt emblazoned with the young Longford man’s face adorned the top of a coffin while surrounded by several floral tributes.
Details surrounding the tragedy come just over a year since the tragic teenager spoke at his older brother Ciaran’s funeral mass following a single-vehicle accident outside Granard on New Year’s Day.
Chief celebrant Fr Michael McGrath alluded to the latter and how Martin’s uncle Patrick had also passed away in heartbreaking circumstances.
“We are so sorry for all of you that tragedy should come to your door for a third time in two years,” he said.
“It is just a dreadful, dreadful tragedy and our hearts reach out to all of you. The loss of a life so young, there are just no answers.”
The local parish priest also spoke of how a colleague of his had to leave an Easter mass last Thursday evening in haste when news of the incident began to spread.
A family member also read out a tribute on behalf of Martin’s younger brother Brandon who spoke of how he had been left “broken” by the tragedy.
“It is honestly killing me that I will not see your face again,” he said. “You didn’t deserve this, you had your whole life ahead of you.
“When I found out the news, it broke me in half and I will never be able to accept it. I love you my beautiful baby brother, you will always be on my mind. Fly high my angel.”
Following the funeral mass, a single bag-piper led a hearse from St Mel’s Cathedral to Ballymacormack Cemetery for burial, stopping briefly at the scene of where the young Longford man lost his life five days earlier.
The late Martin McDonnell is survived by his parents Willie and Patricia, his brothers and sisters Shane, Amy, Brandon, Willie, Helen, Melissa, Bridget, Abbie, Caroline, Mary, Queva, Andrew, Michael, Simon, John, extended family and friends.
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