The funerals took place yesterday of two of the three men who died in a car accident near Listowel, Co Kerry, last weekend.
At both Masses, prayers were said for the recovery of a fourth man, Mr Nicholas Mulvihill.
The peace of last Sunday had been shattered by the terrible news of the accident, and the shock for the families in the early hours did not bear thinking about, said Father Pat Crean-Lynch, curate at Listowel and chief celebrant at the Mass for Mr Christy O'Connor (25), the driver of the Toyota Celica involved in the single-car crash.
"It's a story that shocked not just the town but all of north Kerry and the whole country," he told the 600-strong congregation at the Mass in St Mary's church.
It was particularly difficult and unnatural for the young man's parents, Mr Jimmy O'Connor and Ms Mary O'Connor, to have to bury their son, "and not just a child, but your youngest child", Father Crean-Lynch said. Mr O'Connor is survived by three older sisters and three older brothers.
Six priests concelebrated the Mass. The faith of the family as they dealt with the terrible event had been "inspiring", Father Crean-Lynch remarked.
The family wished to convey their thanks to all those who supported them over the past days, he said.
Death was not the end but the beginning, he reminded the congregation. "Christy's soul lives on and his spirit will be with you in your home," he said.
It would be good at this time to look to Our Lady, he advised. She had lost her parents, her husband Joseph, and her only son Jesus, who died "a truly shameful and cruel death at Calvary ... Ask Our Lady to take care of you and to intercede with her son, Jesus, for you at this time and into the future, to wrap her mantle around you and to comfort you", Father Crean-Lynch said.
Mr O'Connor's girlfriend, Ms Kathy Brosnan, from Moyvane, read a Prayer of the Faithful and brought a photograph of Mr O'Connor as a gift at the offertory.
A model digger was also presented to symbolise Mr O'Connor's love of diggers. A machine driver, he was due to start a new job in Galway this week.
The shock which had plunged a whole parish into mourning this week was again spoken of at the packed funeral Mass at the nearby Church of the Assumption, Moyvane, for Mr James Culhane (30).
Parish Priest Father Michael Fleming, who concelebrated the Mass, said Mr Culhane was "a good, conscientious worker" who was to take up a new job. He loved cars and car magazines and he loved life.
"One word that has kept coming up over the last few days is the word 'friends'. He had very many friends," Father Fleming said.
The funeral of the third man who died, Mr Patrick Galvin (34), takes place in Moyvane today.