The funerals of three of the four victims of a road crash in Co Kerry were held yesterday.
Services were held for David Breen (17), his brother Kevin (15) and their friend Brian Coffey (19).
The three teenagers and David Breen’s girlfriend Áine Riordan (15) died on Wednesday after the car in which they were travelling went out of control and hit a tree at Carrigeen-Crosstown on the main N72 Killarney-Mallow road.
Áine Riordan was buried on Friday.
A fifth person in the car, Darragh Jones (16), from Farranfore, Co Kerry, is in a stable condition at Kerry General Hospital.
Fr Gerard O'Leary told mourners at yesterday morning's requiem Mass for the two brothers at St Mary's Cathedral in Killarney that news of the crash had "sent shivers" through the town.
"We quickly checked where members of our family were and if they were safe. When the names of those involved were released our attention quickly focused on those families and the pain, shock and horror they must have been experiencing,” he said.
“Deep inside we knew that it could be my story, my son or daughter brother or sister relative or friend, and we ask ourselves the question secretly, how would I cope?
"We think of the times when we too had near misses, when I was too tired to drive safely, when I was speeding or showing off, or simply not paying attention to my driving when I put my own life and that of others at risk."
Fr O'Leary said the world "stood still" for the Breen family last Wednesday.
Fr O'Leary conveyed a message of condolence to the family from President Mary McAleese. He said he had been contacted by the recently-bereaved families in the Inishowen peninsula in Co Donegal as well as members of the public from across Ireland who wanted to sympathise with the Breen family following their loss.
The brothers were buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Kilcummin. They are survived by their parents Denis and Sheila, their brothers Michael, Denis and Billy, and their sister Sheila-Mary.
Meanwhile, Brian Coffey was laid to rest at Aghadoe Cemetery outside Killarney following Mass at Fossa Church yesterday. He is survived by his parents Siobhan and Mick, brother Simon and sister Beth and grandparents Raymond and Betty Coffey.
Parish priest Fr Brendan Harrington said he was a teenager who had a great love of life. He said there was immense sadness in the parish when news of the crash broke. He also spoke of the importance of supporting the families of the deceased in their time of great need.
A message of sympathy to the Coffey family from the President was relayed at the funeral in the Church of Christ, the Prince of Peace.
Áine, who lived in St John’s Park in Castleisland, was remembered at her funeral at Castleisland parish church as a “bright, intelligent girl” who had a passion for art and sport.
She is survived by her parents Dan and Mary and sisters Samantha, Cáit and Tara. Her remains were interred at Clogher cemetery.