The three Latvian friends who lost their lives while fishing off Coonanna harbour in south Kerry last Sunday were remembered at a special prayer service there today.
The gathering on Coonanna Pier was told the fact that the men were so far from their native land when the accident happened adds to their families' sorrow and grief.
The widow of 38-year-old Valerijs Klimentengvs, Inga Peremitina, and their two-year-old son Daniel (both pictured below) were among the many who gathered on the pier at midday today for the service in memory of her husband, and his two friends 30-year-old Jurijs Burcves and 57-year-old Anatolijs Teivens.
Parish Priest Father Larry Kelly said the men came to the pier last Sunday morning "as they did on many occasions before to spend a few happy hours together fishing this beautiful part of south Kerry".
He said they are a huge loss to their families and friends in Killarney and Tralee, and to their families, friends and neighbours back home in Latvia.
"By your presence here today you are showing that you care and that you too feel the pain and the loss being experienced by their families," said Fr Kelly.
Ecumenical prayer service underway on Coonanna Pier for the three fishermen who lost their lives nearby last Sunday @rtenews pic.twitter.com/5zvgG6BJQR
— JennïeØSullivân (@OSullivanJennie) October 6, 2018
Michael O'Sullivan, the local man who first raised the alarm when he spotted the overturned punt in the water, was among those who took part in the prayer service, lighting three candles in their memory.
Noreen O'Neill, who was the last to see the men alive, read a reflection on loss.
The prayer ceremony finished with a blessing of the boats by Fr Kelly.
Then the RNLI lifeboat from Valentia laid flowers brought by Ms Peremitina and her son, as well as wreaths from the local community, close to the site where two of the men’s bodies were recovered.
Afterwards, people queued to offer their sympathies to the widow and also signed a book of condolence.
The body of the youngest man, 30-year-old Jurijus Burceus, who had married only recently, has been repatriated.
A prayer service was held for him at O'Shea's Funeral Home in Killarney on Wednesday night.
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An employee of KWD recycling in Killarney, the company issued a statement outlining its sadness at the loss of a valued colleague and employee.
The cremation service for 57-year-old Anatolijs Teivans, a married father of three sons, took place in Cork yesterday and his ashes are to be taken back home to Latvia.
Meanwhile, a fundraising campaign has been set up to help finance the funeral expenses of Valerijs Kilmentjevs, who had been living with his wife Inga and their son Daniel in Tralee.
The investigation into what led to the drownings by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board is continuing.
