THE MURDER of Catherine Smart in her home in Midleton in Co Cork on Easter Sunday had placed a huge burden on her family and shocked the local community, mourners at her funeral Mass were told yesterday.
Midleton parish priest Dean Eamonn Goold said that as the news of Ms Smart’s murder at her home at Bailick Court in Midleton spread last Sunday morning, it had shocked both her family and all those who knew her.
“This last week, of course for the O’Callaghan family and everybody related to Catherine, and indeed the entire communities of Ballyhooley, Fermoy and Midleton, has been a period of great darkness, ” said Fr Goold.
Over 200 mourners gathered at the Church of the Holy Rosary in Midleton yesterday morning to pay their respects to the late 57- year-old mother of three who was born Catherine O’Callaghan in Ballyhooley, north Cork.
Leading the mourners were Ms Smart’s daughters, Mary and Michelle; her son, Tony; her grandchildren, Danielle and Christopher; her brother, Tony; and her sisters, Margaret, Ann, Alice and Geraldine.
Concelebrating Mass with Castletownroche parish priest Fr Pat Scanlon and Ballyhooley curate Fr Brian Boyle, Fr Goold recalled how Ms Smart had come to Midleton parish over 30 years ago, living first in Ballintotis before moving into Midleton town.
“I think the recurring phrase that I heard more often than any other over the past few days is that Catherine never did anybody any harm. She loved a game of cards – it didn’t matter where or what time of the day or night, she always wanted to play another game of cards.
“Last Sunday morning, as we were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, Catherine experienced Good Friday and Easter Sunday all in one. Catherine was, in a sense, crucified with Christ, and we believe and hope that she rose with him to new life.”
In an emotional address from the altar after the Mass, Ms Smart’s daughter Mary wished her mother a happy birthday next Wednesday and said she was sure that she would be celebrating it with her own parents, with whom she was being buried in Ballyhooley.
Among the mourners at yesterday’s funeral Mass was Supt Flor Horan, of Midleton Garda station, who is leading the investigation into Ms Smart’s murder, which gardaí believe happened between 5am and 9.45am on Easter Sunday.
Gardaí arrested a man last Monday for questioning about Ms Smart’s murder, but released him late on Tuesday night. They will prepare a file on the matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Supt Horan confirmed that gardaí will set up a checkpoint on the Bailick Road in Midleton from 7am to 10am tomorrow to try and establish who travels the road at that time on a Sunday, in case they may have noticed anything unusual in the area.