Death of Edenderry firebomb victim Mary Holt ‘unfair and deeply painful’, funeral hears – The Irish Times

Mary Holt, 60, died following a firebomb attack on a house in Edenderry, Co. Offaly, her funeral mass was told on Sunday. The death “came too soon, in a way that feels unfair and deeply painful,” according to those who attended the service.

Kindness and Compassion Remembered

Parish priest Fr. Gregory Corcoran told mourners in St. Mary’s Church, Edenderry, that Ms. Holt, who worked at the local Ofalia House care home, was a woman of kindness and compassion. He acknowledged the grief felt by those present “may feel mixed with shock, anger, confusion, and deep sadness,” adding, “That too is part of love. We grieve because Mary mattered.”

Fr. Corcoran described Ms. Holt’s life as “quietly shaped by care,” noting she began working in the hospital at age 15. He said she was dedicated to helping others, “at the bedside: helping, comforting, noticing the small things.”

“That kind of work tells us a lot about a person. You don’t become a carer unless you have patience, compassion, and a generous heart. Day after day, year after year, Mary showed up for others when they were most in need,” Fr. Corcoran said.

“Mary’s death leaves an empty place: in her family, among her friends, in Ofalia House, and in the lives of those that she cared for.”

Ms. Holt’s niece, Tiffany, also paid tribute to her aunt’s kindness and care for others, saying she loved her job as a carer and “was happy with the small things in life, a cup of tea and a chat.”

A letter from the staff of Ofalia House praised Ms. Holt’s “gentle soul whose kindness and compassion touched every resident, every family and every member of staff for 45 years.”

Ms. Holt’s grandnephew, Tadhg Farrell, 4, also died in the incident on December 6th. His funeral mass took place in Edenderry on Friday.

Pauline Holt, the boy’s grandmother, escaped the flames but was critically injured with burns. Gardaí carried out searches of three properties in counties Offaly and Kildare on Friday, but no arrests have been made. Items were taken away for examination.