The mother of a brother and sister killed in a road crash in Co Tipperary has urged efforts to make the world a better place in their memory.
Luke McSweeney, 24, and Grace McSweeney, 18, were among four young people who died in the tragedy in Clonmel last Friday.
A funeral service was held for Nicole Murphy, 18, earlier in the week while a funeral for Zoey Coffey, 18, will take place on Saturday morning.
Irish president Michael D Higgins, Commandant Claire Mortimer, aide de camp representing the Taoiseach, and Education Minister Norma Foley joined the mourners.
Members of the Murphy and Coffey families were also at the funeral at Saints Peter and Paul’s Church in Clonmel on Friday morning.
Bishop of Waterford and Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan said the whole country has been affected by the tragedy, and spoke of “the loss of such wonderful young people”.
Mr and Ms McSweeney’s mother Brigid addressed the funeral towards the end of the service, telling mourners that she and her husband Paul were honoured to be the parents of Luke and Grace.
She said her gratitude outweighs her sorrow.
“I feel compelled to come before you all here today to let you know the messages you sent from near and far were heard, the compassion shown to us was overwhelming,” she told mourners.
“I find myself not able to find the words because thank you feels inadequate.
“On behalf of Paul, Mark, David and myself, we will be forever in awe of our emergency services, the gardai, fire brigade, ambulance, hospital staff, your heroic effort last Friday night when we lost Luke, Grace, Zoey and Nicole, four extraordinary young people.
“The help and support that we have received from families, friends, neighbours, school, clubs, shops and businesses of our town, the people of Clonmel, our communities and far beyond is truly phenomenal. We are all strong now because of you.
“Paul and myself were honoured to be the parents of Luke and Grace, and blessed to have them for so long.”
She described her daughter as “gentle and very shy”, and her son Luke “strong in body and mind”, and who wanted to make a difference in the world.
“He wanted to make it a better place,” she said.
“Luke and Grace had wonderful friends and I thank them all for making Grace and Luke’s lives so fulfilled and wonderful because they were the happiest they could have ever been.
“Luke strived to be the best version of himself and he encouraged everybody to do the same. Luke’s code, eat well, stay fit and have faith.
“Leave your sorrow behind here today, and make the world a better place.”
During the funeral, Mr McSweeney was remembered as an “exceptional young person who was very involved in the GAA” and who also played soccer and loved working out at the gym.
As friends paid tribute, a message from fighter Conor McGregor was played extending his condolences to the McSweeney family.
“I want to say rest in peace Luke, I heard many great things about you, you were a good man. I’m very sad hearing this news and I want to send my well wishes and condolences to the family. God bless,” he said.
Ms McSweeney’s love of dancing and gymnastics was remembered, particularly teaching younger people.
Father Billy Meehan, who had married Mr and Mrs McSweeney and baptised their son Luke and daughter Grace, opened the Requiem Mass, thanking the community for their support for the families of the young people.
“We hope and pray together we will be able to move forward,” he said.
He described the siblings as “angels of peace to us all” who leave a great legacy.
The service ended with the song Somewhere Over The Rainbow.
Earlier the town came to a standstill as crowds gathered ahead of the funeral.
People lined the street as two hearses drove side-by-side through the town to the church.
The two coffins, one of white wood and one of brown, were carried in before crowds filed in through the doors of the church after them.
The street outside remained packed with mourners after the pews in the church filled up.
All the shops and businesses in the town closed during the funeral.
Mr McSweeney had been driving the teenagers to a bus last Friday when the car overturned and crashed into a wall in Clonmel.
The youngsters were on their way to celebrate their Leaving Certificate exam results, which they had received that day.
Three more lives were lost in another road tragedy in Co Tipperary days after the Clonmel crash.
Thomas O’Reilly, 45, his wife, Bridget O’Reilly, 46, and their three-year-old grandson Tom O’Reilly were killed in a single-vehicle collision in Cashel on Tuesday evening.
The child’s parents, both aged 22, were injured in the crash.
