A Leaving Certificate student who died after her car hit a wall and entered the river in south Tipperary was voted the “smiliest person” in her year, her requiem Mass has heard.
Brónagh English’s car left the road at Kilaldry Bridge in Kilmoyler, Cahir and entered the river Aherlow last Thursday at about 10pm. A Garda sub aqua team recovered the 18-year-old’s body on Friday morning.
At her requiem Mass at St John the Baptist Church in Clonmel on Tuesday, her father Michael said she had planned to leave the house for just 20 minutes on the evening she died.
“And that was the end of our Bró. She was a wonderful child. We loved her to pieces,” he said. He said he and his wife Danielle noticed “something special about her in the early days”.
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“We never had [the] terrible twos. We thought, ‘she is going to be a terrible teenager surely’, and then she got to 13 or 14 and we thought, ‘maybe she was a late developer in teens’, and still no problem,” he said.
“She lived in the present. She was fun right now. She was in the moment.”
He thanked his daughter’s close-knit group of friends, who are nicknamed “The Rats,” for all the joy they had brought to their home over the years.
He was joined on the altar by his wife Danielle, who thanked the emergency services for being “beyond amazing” in the aftermath of the crash.
Brónagh’s sister Mia said her sibling had been her best friend.
“Brónagh was so funny, with a great imagination. Chinese on a Friday with some weird food combinations. Having Brónagh [as] my sister was really the dream. We will always carry you with us day by day and mile by mile,” she said.
Chief celebrant at the Mass, Fr Peter Ahearne, said Brónagh had “radiated friendship” and lit up every room she entered.
“Brónagh lived a full life. She was involved in sport, music and dancing. She gave her time to her friends.”
Her two brothers, Mikey and David, were among those who recited Prayers of the Faithful.
