Mum says ‘life will never be the same’ in tearful funeral tribute as Grace Lynch, 16, laid to rest after scrambler crash

GRACE Lynch’s heartbroken mum has told how “life will never be the same” as hundreds of mourners gathered for her funeral in Dublin today.

The 16-year-old was killed after being hit by a scrambler bike as she crossed the road while on the way to meet her boyfriend in Finglas on Sunday afternoon.

The “bubbly” young teenager tragically passed away at Connolly Hospital after she was hit by the scrambler bike.

She is deeply missed by her heartbroken mum Siobhan, dad Martin, sisters Shauna and Brooke, and her little brother Jude.

Grace is also mourned by her boyfriend Harry, grandparents Carol, Stevo and Dolores and the late Arthur Lynch, her uncles, aunts, cousins, extended family, classmates and friends.

St Michael’s Secondary students, where Grace was a fifth-year student, released balloons into the sky as the funeral cortege paused outside the school before the service at St Oliver Plunkett’s Church.

The students and a number of Dublin Fire Brigade members formed a guard of honour.

Many of the mourners wore red ribbons in their hair and lampposts along the funeral route were decorated with the red bow in honour of Grace’s favourite colour.

In a heartbreaking tribute, Grace’s mum Siobhan told how her little girl was “only starting her life”.

She said: “Myself, Martin, Shauna, Brooke, Jude, would like to thank everybody for being here today and for the support that we have received on the tragic death of our beautiful daughter and sister.

“Grace was loved by so many people and she loved so many people back.

“She had a way about her that would make you feel happy just to be around her. She was always laughing at nothing.She was only starting her life.”

Siobhan said Grace was “so in love” with her boyfriend and joked that her daughter liked to take her mum and sister’s clothes, adding that you were “very lucky” if you got them back.

She said: “If you were blessed to have known Grace, you would have known how funny and bubbly and kind she was.

“We will miss you forever and we love you forever. You’re in the arms of the angels now, Grace. Life will never be the same. I love you, baby.”

‘FULL OF LIFE & LOVE’

Mourners heard how Grace always had time for everyone, believed that everyone has good in them and was always “relaxed and unfussy”.

Fr Seamus Aherne said: “Siobhan and Martin spoke with great love of their daughter, who was such a quiet baby, and always remained quiet, who was so laid back that she was almost horizontal, was just happy with everyone, happy in herself.”

He told mourners Grace’s school friends described her as a “bubbly” young girl who was a friend to everyone.

He said: “They described her, their friend, who never wanted to walk, would take two buses if she could, who was always very slow in what she did, especially her assignments, last minute.”

COMMUNITY IN MOURNING

He also described her as a typical teenager, someone who took her sisters’ clothes, who kept her room as a “disaster zone”, and was a music lover – with particular fondness for Oasis, The Carpenters and The Cranberries.

Fr Aherne added: “Young Grace was full of life and full of love.”

Symbols representing Grace’s life including her St Michael’s jumper, a framed self-portrait Grace drew and her jewellery case were taken to the altar to represent the young girl as Amazing Grace was performed.

And Fr Aherne told how the lives of everyone in the community have been “deeply affected” by the loss of Grace in such devastating circumstances.

He said Grace “always believed that there was good in everyone”.

He said: “Tell the story of who Grace was, what mattered to her, those ordinary qualities. Think of that single, simple comment, there is good in everyone.

“Young Grace and this beautiful family and loving family have lived these values and are living these values. What else matters?

“They always learn from them and from her. All road users learn these basic Christian attitudes, care of each other, mindfulness.

“Grace had only 6,053 days of living. We have more.

“So artists and poets, each of you, all of us are artists and poets of life and love. Let’s live it and make a difference.”

An 18-year-old man is currently before the courts charged with dangerous driving causing her death.