The funerals took place yesterday of father and daughter Anthony and Nadine O’Brien, who died together in a house fire in Tralee in the early hours of Saturday morning.
They were buried in a single large coffin in Rath Cemetery after requiem Mass at St Brendan’s Church, Tralee.
The Mass heard a number of tributes to the pair, including from Nadine’s mother, Kelly O’Brien, wife of Anthony, who spoke from a wheelchair because of injuries sustained in jumping from the burning house. Chief celebrant Fr Patsy Lynch said Anthony had given his life trying to save Nadine when the flames engulfed their home at Killeen Heights. He and his three siblings had missed the love of parents and he was determined to inculcate love in his family – his mother had died in England and his father months later, and the family were reared in care homes, the priest said.
Kelly O’Brien said her late husband had been her hero; he was the first person Nadine had seen and unfortunately also the last. The photograph placed on the coffin showed Nadine (5) and her father (30) wrapped in each other’s arms. The priest noted “she is still in these arms in the coffin”.
“Our faith today reminds us that Nadine and Anthony are forever wrapped in God’s all-embracing arms in the kingdom of heaven,” the priest told the 200 or so who gathered for the funeral Masses.