Family and friends of murdered 22-year-old Donna Cleary yesterday paid tribute to the life of "a truly devoted mother" who was determined to get the "best out of life" for herself and her two-year-old son.
At a funeral Mass for Ms Cleary, who died after being hit by bullets fired into a house in Coolock, Dublin, Fr Pat Littleton asked for her death not to be "in vain".
A "few awful minutes" on March 5th had left a young girl dead, her two-year-old son Clayton without a mother, and her family with "broken hearts," he said.
It had also led the country to ask "What's happening and where are we going?" he added.
"There's a time for everything. And if things happen in the right time, we can accept them. But today is the wrong time. There's nothing right about this time," he told a packed St Luke the Evangelist church in Kilmore West.
"Let us build communities where we look out for each other, where we respect each other and care about each other.
"Let's build communities where we have respect for the law of the land and respect for our God. And where violence will be no more."
But Fr Littleton said the families of those who caused the pain "are themselves traumatised and pained".
"Peter [ Ms Cleary's father], you yourself said on more than one occasion: 'No parent sends their son out to do such evil deeds'," he said.
"Every day we read in the papers , see on the television, and hear on the radio about violence in our country. But when it comes to our own doorstep, it's different."
A group of Ms Cleary's close female friends told those present that she was "everything you wanted in a friend and much more. We're all heartbroken and devastated . . . She was a truly devoted mother and we will never forget her laughter," they said in a tribute read out by one of the group.
"We thank Donna for the wonderful person she was. We are very glad and grateful she was part of our lives."
One of Ms Cleary's male family members had earlier stood up to give the first reading, but was too overcome with emotion to continue unaided.
Fr Littleton told how Ms Cleary's family had laid rosary beads on her body, and had made the sign of the Cross on her forehead.
Family members also brought presents in her memory to the altar, and thanked those present for their support.
Among those attending the mass were Chief Supt Peter Maguire, who is leading the investigation into Ms Cleary's death, and local Fianna Fáil TD Seán Haughey.