Hundreds attend teenager’s removal in Limerick

Hundreds of mourners, mostly teenage girls, gathered in Limerick last night for the removal of Chloe Kinsella, whose body was recovered from the river Shannon on Friday.

Many of those crowded outside Cross’s funeral home in the city centre had taken part in the six-day search for the popular 15-year-old who went missing from her home over a week ago.

Divers from Limerick Marine Search and Rescue recovered Chloe's body from the river just a short distance from her home in Kileely last Friday. Gardaí are not treating her death as suspicious.

Scores of teenage girls mostly wearing pink walked the journey behind the funeral cortege to St Munchin’s Church in Thomondgate led by Chloe’s parents Shirley and Kevin.

“The girls all decided to wear pink for Chloe,” said one mourner.

The 15-year-old’s love of fashion and make-up was encapsulated in many of the floral tributes adorning her casket.

Personal tributes including a make-up kit, a floral wreath incorporating a smartphone, and a life-sized poster of the boy band One Direction were also in the cortege.

Second tragedy
Chloe was the youngest daughter in a family of nine children. The family experienced another tragedy previously when in 2004 Chloe's younger sister Sophie died from a heart illness aged just four.

Shortly after Chloe's body was found, her uncle Matthew Franklin issued a plea to all young people to respect life and seek help if they need it. Mr Franklin is due to speak on behalf of the Kinsella family at today's funeral Mass at St Munchin's Church.

The chief celebrant, Rev Pat Suaver, is also expected to direct his sermon towards young mourners, in particular Chloe’s classmates from fifth year in St Nissan’s secondary school.

Meanwhile, Limerick TD Willie O’Dea, who was also among the mourners, has called on the Government to “focus on suicide . . . as a matter of urgency”.

Mental health
The Fianna Fáil TD also criticised his own party on its record on mental health.

“I tell you the last government should equally be criticised with the present Government. Both governments spent money on mental health but I think they spent it in the wrong way. They spent it with the wrong focus.”

He added: “Too many young families have been bereaved by suicide. I’ve attended too may funerals like this.

“I’ve sympathised with too many families, like the unfortunate family inside the funeral home with their 15-year-old daughter in there in a coffin. I’am not sure that money is being spent the best way possible.”

Mr O’Dea called for a more direct way of getting funding to groups helping vulnerable people without money being “swallowed up in administration”.

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