Mourners gather for funeral of nurse killed in three-car Limerick crash

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press Association

Mourners have gathered for the funeral of nurse Áine O’Reilly, who died in a three-car crash in Co Limerick.

The congregation heard that Ms O’Reilly had spent her life putting others before herself, and her death had left the community in shock.

Crowds stood solemnly in the rain on Wednesday morning as her coffin was carried into St John the Baptist Church in Nicker ahead of the funeral mass.

Ms O’Reilly, 33, died in the collision on Friday night that left another driver injured, while a third fled the scene.

The nurse was on her way to work when the incident took place on the N24 near Grange West, Boher.

Parish priest Fr Tomas O’Connell said the funeral mass was being held in the same church where Ms O’Reilly was baptised.

He said some of her nursing colleagues had travelled from London to attend.

“We gather as a community in prayer and in grief and, of course, in shock today to pray with and to be with Áine’s family,” Fr O’Connell said.

“Áine, indeed, was a person who gave. She gave to her family, gave to her community, her work colleagues.

“Her life was one of putting herself (after) others, and it is so tragic that in the twinkling of an eye that life of giving was taken from her so tragically last Friday.”

The priest called for prayers for the man who was injured in the crash and other victims of road traffic accidents.