THOUSANDS of people lined the streets of Portarlington last night for the removal of the six members of the Maher family who died at a fire in their home early on Sunday morning.
On a bright sunny evening they stood on the streets of the Co Laois town, covering the long route from the funeral home to St Michael's Church.
For hours beforehand they had come to pay their respects to the memory of Breda Maher and her five dead children, Mark (23), Barry (12), Joanna (9), Fiona (6), and Martina (2).
Loud sobbing could be heard as the cortege made its way through the town with the body of Breda in the first hearse followed by four small white coffins containing her youngest children and the third hearse carrying her son, Mark.
The three cars were laden with wreaths and fresh flowers. All businesses in the town were closed.
Mr Alo Maher, with his surviving sons, extended family and friends, led the procession. Lining the route in a guard of honour were members of the local GAA club, rugby club, Civil Defence and representatives from all the sporting and community associations the popular family had been involved in.
Pupils from St Joseph's CSB, St Patrick's CBS and the Presentation Convent stood in their uniforms, some carrying wreaths. As the procession moved it was joined by more and more mourners.
Instead of travelling straight through the town, it made its way around the ring road and stopped momentarily at a spot where the burned out Maher family home on Marian Hill was visible. Mourners have continued to lay bunches of flowers at the small house.
Led by Father Pat Curran, the six coffins were brought slowly into the church. Mr Maher stood at the top and assisted first with the coffin of his wife and then with each of his five children as they were brought before the altar.
The coffins of the younger children were flanked by their mother's and the coffin of their older brother Mark. They were covered in flowers, sports jerseys and other family mementos. On the smallest coffin lay a teddy bear.
Standing on the altar before the six coffins, Father Curran told his grieving congregation it should ask God for the courage to live through this hour". He said the town was united in sadness since a cloud of pain and horror" had descended in the early hours of Sunday morning. Mere words could not express the feeling.
But the ties of friendship and love, he said, did not unravel with death. "We ask the Lord to look with mercy on Alo and his family, that the Lord will help them in this extremely difficult time in their lives. Our prayer this evening is that God will give Breda and her children peace and hold them all in the palm of his hand."
He prayed for the surviving members of the family, Mr Maher and his sons, Alo jnr (26), Colm (25), Vincent (17), Dominic (11), Paul (21), and Brendan (14). Dominic is still in Tullamore General Hospital and Colm, severely injured in the fire, remained in critical condition in St James's Hospital, Dublin, last night.
The funeral of the six members of the Maher family will take place this morning at 10 a.m. at St Michael's Church and afterwards to St Michael's cemetery.
. The gate receipts of a charity football match is to be shared between the Maher family and the Third World charity GOAL. Carlow and Laois are to line out tomorrow evening at 7.30 p.m. in Dr Cullen Park in the charity challenge. The game had already been scheduled as a fund raising event for GOAL but it was decided to include the Maher family as beneficiaries because Colm Maher is a Laois GAA player.