Arklow mourns five victims of bus crash

Yesterday was the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows and the town of Arklow in Co Wicklow was engulfed in its own sorrow as the…

Yesterday was the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows and the town of Arklow in Co Wicklow was engulfed in its own sorrow as the five people killed in Monday's crash were brought home for burial.

The town ground to a halt, meetings were cancelled and flags flew at half mast.

People huddled in quiet groups trying to comprehend what had happened and trying to comfort one another.

Shortly before 5 p.m. a single hearse carrying the coffins of Ms Sharon Sheehan (23) and her sister, Ms Fionnuala Byrne (19), arrived in Arklow. The sisters were taken to their home at Coolgreaney and will be taken to the church this evening.

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Shortly before 6 p.m. 10-year-old Kevin O'Leary was taken from his home to St Jospeh's Church in Templerainey. Hundreds of mourners packed the church and the grounds as Kevin's friends and schoolmates paid tribute to their friend.

The remains of the mini-bus driver, Jackie Kavanagh, were taken to Ferrybank where hundreds of people walked behind the coffin to St Peter's Church in Main Street. Gardai closed the street to allow access for the funeral.

The remains of 11-year-old Robert Cullen, a neighbour of the Byrne sisters, was taken to St David's Church in Johnstown. Hundreds of people moved from one funeral to the other, still not quite comprehending how this could happen in a peaceful town.