Mother of Limerick nurse tells court 'I thought we had more time'

THE GRIEVING family of nurse Áine O’Reilly who died in a fatal collision on February 13 of this year, said that their lives will forever be marked by her loss.

Victim impact statements were delivered at Limerick Circuit Court this Tuesday afternoon by Áine’s parents Ann and Eugene and her brother James, on behalf of himself and his two brothers Eoin and Conor.

In her statement, Áine’s mother Ann spoke about the CCTV and dashcam footage played in court.

“Today we watched the last few moments of Áine’s life. I don’t want to think of what went through her head as she saw it all unfold.

“Our daughter left home to go to work. As she walked out the door, leaving instructions for the dog’s medicine, little were we to know that the next time we would see her would be 24 hours later lying in the morgue covered in a purple cloth with only her beautiful face visible.

“I got to hold her freezing cold hand. This memory will always remain burnt into my heart and my mind,” she said.

She described her daughter as a “bubbly, affectionate, happy little girl” who became a “brave, empathetic, beautiful young woman.”

Mrs O’Reilly said that since Áine’s death, all of their family gatherings have and will always be “tainted by sadness.”

“The joy we all get from these events is muted now. This level of grief permeates every aspect of our lives, our ability to function professionally, our personal relationships, how we socialise and even our sleep.”

She added: “Áine will never get to marry, to have children, or reach any other milestones in life. She won’t be around to celebrate with us as we, her family, reach ours.

“I thought we had more time.”

Áine’s father Eugene, a retired member of An Garda Síochána spoke about his daughter’s dedication to nursing and how she had faced health challenges, but had “faced them with resilience and bravery.”

He said: “Áine, you are missed every minute of every day. I can assure you, our beautiful Áine, that your short life and beauty will never be extinguished from our family memory for as long as we live. You will always be front and centre.

“There are no winners here today. Our family has been destroyed by Keelan O’Connell.”

Áine’s brother James spoke of how little time Áine had to spend with her only nephew.

“We have only a few photographs of them together. I would give anything for even a few more.”

The little boy was less than five months old when Áine died and he said that the loss of her from the family had a deep affect on the young child.

“He cried constantly, often becoming distressed even when he was with us. We were blessed to have grandparents who could help care for him while we prepared for the funeral, but his routine was disrupted and the sense of calm and security that had surrounded his early months was gone.”

He said that the impact of her loss is everywhere. “This should have been one of the happiest years of my life. A new father, exhausted but content, focused only on my son and wife and looking forward to watching him grow up surrounded by his family, including Áine as his aunt.

“Instead, since Áine was killed, every happy event, every milestone, and every family gathering has been tinged with sadness.

“When I look at my son, I feel grief. I grieve for what he has lost. I grieve for the relationship he was denied, and for the aunt who should have been there for birthdays, Christmas mornings, first days at school, and all the ordinary moments that make up a life. I also grieve for the innocence that our family has lost.

“Every day on my journey to work, I pass the place where Áine was killed, her grave and my parent’s home. Every day I am reminded that my sister is gone.

“We hope that, in time, we can find some closure. Not an end to our grief, we will never stop grieving, but the chance to continue living our lives while remembering Áine every day.”

James said that the death of Áine has left him with a lingering sense of fear. “When my wife and child are running late, even by a few minutes, my mind starts to wander, and I get worried and anxious.”

Sentencing for Keelan O’Connell has been adjourned to Tuesday next, November 17.