‘No easy answers’: funeral of Diarmuid and Tadg O’Sullivan held

Family and friends mourned the tragic loss of Tadg and his son Diarmuid O’Sullivan at his funeral today, a loss that should be not be minimised by “providing easy answers”.

In his homily, Fr Toby Bluitt of Kanturk parish said that this was not God’s will nor a moment to learn something, but of “untimely, shocking” tragedy.

“We know that this was not God’s will, that the Lord’s prayer teaches us ‘thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’,” Fr Bluitt said at the funeral today in St Mary’s Church, Castlemagner. “God’s will is not always done on earth as the tragedy of this week reminds us.

“We know that this was not a ‘wake-up call’, nor did it happen so that we can learn something. For God is moved by this tragedy too. He sent his only son to alleviate our suffering.”

In offering up the funeral, Fr Bluitt said, “we gather to make to comfort and support each other in our common loss”.

“Grief is never an easy burden to bear,” he continued. “We gather in such grief today – carrying a burden that not only seems to be, but in fact is, overwhelming.”

Fr Bluitt called on those in attendance and watching online to keep the O’Sullivan family in their thoughts in prayers as they “navigate this path of unexpected loss and anguish”.

He concluded his homily with a reflection on God’s mercy and consolation in the midst of the tragedy.

“Jesus is moved by our fear, our grief, our pain, our loss, our suffering because he, too, has suffered,” he said. “And he weeps with us when we weep.

“Mercy is the first attribute of God. The name of God is mercy. There are no situations that we cannot get out of. We are not condemned to sink into quicksand.”

The funeral Mass took place at 2.30pm on Friday October 30 in Saint Mary’s Church, Parish of Castlemagner, Co Cork, in the Diocese of Cloyne. Father Toby Bluitt PP was the chief celebrant. After Mass, Tadg and Diarmuid’s remains were interred in Saint Brigid’s Cemetery, Castlemagner.

In accordance with current public health restrictions, Tadg and Diarmuid’s Funeral Mass took place privately involving family members only.

The funeral of Mark O’Sullivan will be held tomorrow Saturday and live-streamed at 3.30pm from the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Kanturk.