Ella Trainor's death '˜leaves our lives shattered, our hearts broken'

Canon John Kearney, in his sermon at Ella’s noon Requiem Mass at The Church of St John The Evangelist in Hilltown, said whilst the Co Down church has seen “many sad and tragic funerals” that “few can have been as profoundly sad and sorrowful as the funeral that gathers us here today for Ella”.

Ella, a primary two pupil at St Patrick’s Primary School in Hilltown, had been a back-seat passenger in a Volkswagen car that was in collision with a Seat car and a tractor pulling a trailer loaded with hay bales on the Hilltown Road on Saturday.

She was taken by ambulance to Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry but died a short time later.

Her mother Susan, who was in the car with her, sustained non life-threatening injuries in the crash.

Before the service pupils from Ella’s school joined members of local GAA teams and others to form a guard of honour for the youngster.

Canon Kearney said the death of a child in any circumstances “is an occasion of great sorrow”, but “a death that is the result of an accident, simply beggars our understanding”.

The cleric, from Warrenpoint, said Ella had “simply loved life” and wanted to be a vet.

“What a life she had, and her only six years of age, she has crowded so much in the few short years that she was with us,” Canon Kearney told mourners.

“In the normal course of events, parents after a long life and a good life are laid to rest by their children, their sons and daughters and grandchildren.

“But today as we as family and friends lay Ella to rest in an early grave, our hearts are broken, our lives are shattered,” he said.

“It just doesn’t seem right. Life since Saturday morning last, when the grey angel of death gatecrashed her celebration of life, has been heartbreaking. But through it all Ella’s family will be forever grateful to the emergency services at the scene of the accident, and the doctors, nurses and staff of Daisy Hill Hospital, for the tremendous care and professionalism that they gave to all who were involved and particularly their gentle care of little Ella.”

Local SDLP councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick, who attended the funeral, said: “It was a beautiful Mass, but heartbreaking. It was so sad and a heart-wrenching service.”