The hands of debs crash victim Kiea McCann (17) and her best friend Dlava Mohamed (16), who also died in the collision on the N54 at Legnakelly, Co Monaghan on Monday, were touching as those responding to the scene – including Ms McCann’s father, Franky – tried in vain to revive the victims, Kiea’s funeral heard on Thursday afternoon.
“Sitting yesterday with Kiea’s dad Franky, at the McCann home, listening to him describe his frantic actions following his arrival at the scene of the crash, he described conducting CPR on his daughter and her soul friend Dlava, but with no success, the hands of the two girls touching as though they knew they were off to heaven together,” Fr John Chester said.
“No father should have to witness such a terrible scene.”
A number of gifts, symbolic items in Kiea’s life, were offered at the altar by her family members at the beginning of the service. These included a hair straightener, her iPhone, and a photo of her wearing her debs dress, taken hours before the fatal collision.
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Fr Chester drew on some of the tributes paid to Kiea and Dlava in the wake of the tragedy is his homily, quoting Fr Peter Corrigan, local Cllr Pat Treanor and TD Heather Humphreys.
Dlava and Kiea McCann were both students at Largy College in Clones and died when the car in which they were travelling left the road and crashed into a tree.
Earlier on Thursday, the funeral of Dlava heard how the country was “shook” by the tragedy.
Family, friends and classmates who travelled from Clones, as well as members of the Muslim community in Dublin, attended her funeral in Clonskeagh Mosque in South Dublin.
Imam Sheikh Hussein Halawa told the service her death had shaken her family, the Muslim community in Ireland, and the entire country.
One of seven siblings, Dlava had been due to start transition year in Largy College in September.
The Mohamed family, who are originally from Syria, had brought their daughter’s body from Clones to Dublin on Thursday morning for her funeral.
A hearse carrying Dlava’s remains left Clones early on Thursday and arrived at the mosque shortly after 10am. Her body was then washed and shrouded, according to Islamic tradition, in five pieces of white cloth. Her family then spent time with her until the funeral prayer. The burial is due to take place at 3pm at Newcastle Muslim Cemetery.
Her death notice described her as the “cherished and much loved daughter of Hohamed and Zenab Mohamed”. She would be “sadly missed” by her brothers Mostafa and Rashid and her sisters Lilov, Asmahan, Auin and Giham. Her older sister, Auin (18), was injured in the crash and remains in a critical but stable condition in Cavan General Hospital.
Speaking at the funeral, Mr Halawa said he offered his condolences to her family following the “tragic accident” that took her life.
Mr Halawa, whose words were translated to English by Dr Ali Selim, also offered his condolences to the family of Kiea McCann.
Earlier, Mr Halawa had led those gathered in prayer, standing over the teenager’s white coffin.
Following the funeral Mr Halawa embraced her father and other members of her family.
After the service, classmates of Dlava lined the steps from the mosque in a guard of honour, as her body was taken to be buried at the cemetery.
Kiea was waked on Wednesday at the McCann family home on Fitzpatrick Square in Clones. She was removed to Sacred Heart Chapel, Clones, for funeral Mass at 2pm with burial following at Mount St Oliver’s Cemetery in the town.
Family members and friend walked behind the hearse carrying her coffin, wearing blue T-shirts with her photograph printed on the front.
The hearse was met at the entrance to the church by teachers and pupils of Largy College, Kiea’s former school. The hearse left the McCann family home, several hundred metres from the church, a short time before.
In a show of respect, a number of motorcyclists parked up and revved their engines as the hearse approached the church gate, creating a plume of smoke. Other sympathisers lined Church Hill, the sloping street leading up to the chapel.
A photograph of Kiea in her debs dress was on the front page of the order of service, while a photograph of her with Dlava was on an inside page.
Oisin Clerkin (18), who was Kiea’s date for the ball and was also in the car when it crashed, has since been discharged from hospital.
Anthony McGinn (60) from Newbliss, Co Monaghan, was driving the vehicle and remains in critical condition in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.
