"It shouldn't end like this," mourners were told today at the funeral of 25-year-old Michael Kelly, one of the victims of last week's tragic road crash outside Carlow town.
Michael's mother Rita, brother Jordan and girlfriend Sasha Gromovaya were joined by hundreds of extended family members, friends, neighbours, and colleagues as they said farewell to the trainee electrician who lived for his family and for cars.
He died last Wednesday night in a single-car crash in the Leagh area of Carlow, along with friends Katie Graham and Daryl Culbert whose funerals were held on Monday. A fourth friend is currently receiving treatment for serious injuries sustained in the incident.
Today at the funeral Mass in St Brigid's Church in Hacketstown, mourners heard about a loving son, brother and friend whose presence lit up any room he was in and made everybody feel better.
"Mike's big smile from ear to ear beams out of all the photographs, even the baby photographs," Fr Martin Smith, chaplain at South East Technological University where Rita Kelly is a colleague, said.
"His gentleness and his quiet manner, his big love of cars, standing around talking to his friends about them, going for a spin. It shouldn't end like this."
Michael's brother Jordan thanked the many people who have helped the family over the last number of days and provided support, as well as the emergency services who were with Michael last Wednesday night and Thursday.
He said he was "amazingly blessed" because he got to have Mike as a big brother, who was always a supportive presence. "Although we argued and had our moments, there was never a doubt in my mind that he wouldn't be there for me."
"If you told me a few years ago that I'd be standing here making a speech I'd have thought it would be as his best man," he said, before telling the congregation that the he would be delivering a different speech. "As much as Mike wouldn't want me to do it, unfortunately that's exactly what he's going to get."
He told stories of their time growing up, including a time when Jordan injured his hand in a football match and had to be brought to hospital in Waterford.
"Without even asking, Mike had the keys in his hand ready to bring me. We chatted the whole way down and by the time we arrived to A&E we were told, it's too busy you're better off coming back tomorrow. Mike said, 'not to worry Jor,' and gave me a hug, he said 'we'll go on an adventure'. So out we drove to Tramore and got a bag of chips and we just sat in the car watching the sunset having a chat."
He also paid tribute their mother, Rita - their father Michael died some years ago - for always being there for them throughout all their lives.
Michael's girlfriend Sasha Gromovaya read a letter from her family to Mike, in which they loved him as a son and brother and had looked forward to flying to Ireland in the future to meet their grandchildren, and spoke about the day she and Michael met and how much they loved each other.
There was applause and there were tears as she reflected on what might have been. "We will never go to Australia and Ukraine with you. You will never be my husband, and we will never have kids. But I promise, I will never stop loving you, you were the love of my life and I hope I made you happy. You were my forever and ever. Fly easy and you are my favourite person ever."
