Chai Brady
Hero-teacher Dawn Croke's funeral procession The funeral for the hero-teacher who saved a young girl’s life was “heart-breaking” according to a priest and family friend who said she had inspired her pupils with an enthusiasm to help the homeless.
The funeral Mass of Dawn Croke took place on Monday and was celebrated by Fr Pat Ward in Dungloe, Co. Donegal.
Ms Croke was struck by a jeep in the schoolyard of St Crona’s National School last week after pushing the six-year-old child of her partner away from fatal danger.
“It was a terrible tragedy, it was such a desolate thing to have happened, I just found it very difficult,” said Fr Ward.
Ms Croke organised the fundraising of €1,000 with her pupils and brought them to Dublin to present it to Bro. Kevin of the Capuchin Day Centre just before Christmas. Fr Ward said: “She brought enthusiasm into the children’s lives in doing something for the homeless and they had fun doing that.”
“Dawn was beautiful. She carried her beauty with great grace and with great poise but her beauty wasn’t just her external looks. Her beauty was also within her. It was all that she was, it was her personality, her care for others,” he said in his homily.
Pictures of Ms Croke’s two children, Jason and Callum, were brought to the altar along with personal items including an engagement ring that her partner Patrick put on her finger.
A song she wrote for her parents for Christmas, a cover of Adele’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’, was also played.