Service held to honour four air crash victims

MORE THAN 150 mourners gathered at a Mass in Naas, Co Kildare last night to remember three members of a family who died when …

MORE THAN 150 mourners gathered at a Mass in Naas, Co Kildare last night to remember three members of a family who died when their light aircraft crashed in the Wicklow mountains on Saturday.

Sharif Booz, his wife Margaret O'Kennedy Booz, their son, Aymon (14) and his friend Charlie Froud (14), all from Lower Almondsbury in Bristol, England, died in the accident. Margaret was born in Co Kildare while Sharif was born in Egypt.

Margaret's younger brother Richard O'Kennedy along with his wife Kristina and their children, as well as Mr Booz's nephew Yousef and his wife attended the service at the Church of the Irish Martyrs in Ballycane.

Richard recalled childhood memories of Margaret growing up in Punchestown House some 10 kilometres from Naas. He said she told him she would like her death to be quick, without pain and with loved ones around her in a place she called home. "In a beautiful but strange way her final wish came true," he said.

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Two representatives of the Garda also attended the ceremony. Richard thanked gardaí and the rescue services for their support. A remaining son, Sammi Booz (20), is an architecture student at Nottingham University.

Genevieve Carbery

Genevieve Carbery

Genevieve Carbery is Deputy Head of Audience at The Irish Times