THE beautiful young daughter of Nadine Lott clutched her cuddly toy rabbit, as she followed the ivory coffin carrying her beloved mother’s body in a town where Christmas seemed to have died.

Time stood still, all festivities were cancelled and normal life ceased, in Arklow, Co Wicklow, as more than 1,000 mourners filled St Mary and Peter’s Church and lined the streets outside, as Kya, 6, paid her final, loving tribute to her young mother, Nadine, walking alongside her for one last time.

Nadine was remembered too, by her mother, Claire, as a woman who “cherished life, creating and recording memories.”

Nadine died last Tuesday having been the victim of an alleged assault in her home the previous weekend.

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Daniel Murtagh, 32, of Melrose Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin, has been charged with assault causing serious harm.

A heartbroken Claire showed tremendous courage as she took to the altar to ensure every single mourner and indeed all of Ireland, remembered her beloved Nadine for all she was.

“Not all of you had the pleasure to know her” a tearful Claire said. “My daughter cherished life and creating and recording memories.”

Claire told how Nadine was very close to her sisters, Tanith, Phoebe and brother, Kyle and how she was a devoted mother to Kya.

Parish Priest Fr Michael Murtagh told how he’d watched “amazed” as the little girl “explored the world in which she lives.”

But no one could imagine the “depths of tragedy” that would descend on the loving family, the town of Arklow and Ireland, at the devastating loss of the mother, who’d devoted her life to caring for her child and making memories with family and friends, Fr Murtagh said.

Claire told how only last week a loved one had a photo album made for Nadine with the words printed on it “Loving, lifetime friends,” to celebrate her 30th birthday in October.

“She loved you all,” Claire said.

Surely the lengthy and powerful applause from all of Arklow that followed might have healed at least some of her pain, even if only momentarily, as she walked from the altar to her granddaughter.

Fr Murtagh said: “How can we find the words to express the devastation in the hearts of Nadine’s mother Claire, her dad David, her sisters and brother… and above all her daughter, Kya.

“I don’t think there’s anything I can say that can take away the loss you’re suffering, nothing will replace the pain and suffering in our hearts today.

“What we do know is that it is not supposed to be like this. A mother, a father, are not supposed to be burying their daughter.

“It is not supposed to be like this. Two sisters and a brother, should not be confronted with the death of one of their own, at such a young age.

“It’s senseless. A young six-year-old child, Kya, should not be burying her young mother.

“It is not supposed to be like this, with an entire community in shock… Nadine who was beautiful, intelligent, caring and full of fun.

“Nadine who was doing what she loved most, caring for Kya. Her life was taken away just as she was trying to get it going. It’s not supposed to be like this.

“Last Thursday night I sat in amazement and laughter as young Kya danced to a pop song, Dance Monkey. Is that right Kya?” the priest asked the child from the altar.

“She did it in her grandparents’ home. I sat in amazement as six-year-old Kya explored the world in which she lives.

“Of course she delights in Nadine’s dog, Bella when she barks like mad.”

Throughout the church the sound of weeping was audible just three days from Christmas. This was meant to be a happy time for families, yet a great darkness had fallen upon Arklow, upon all of Ireland.

“It’s not supposed to be this way,” he added. “The entire town of Arklow and beyond is gripped by the darkness of Nadines’s death.

“The banner outside the church says it all ‘Nadine, forever in our thoughts.’

“The music at the bandstand last Monday night says it all. Among all of this God is here with us and he understands our pain. He knows what it is to lose a 30-year-old woman in these circumstances

“(The grief) takes our breath away. Nadine will live on in her daughter Kya, that will give strength to our lives and to our souls.”

The priest continued: “We cannot change the past, what is done is done but we can change the future.

“And the future will be filled with laughter and love again. Tomorrow will be a better day. We can look beyond this present day and we all have a life out there to be lived.

“The fight for her life ended last Tuesday but can I say to all young people here in this church, who’ve come out in such great numbers, to Nadine’s friends, for you Nadine’s death raises a question. It is this – what are you going to do with your life, in her memory?

“When the hurt and the tears have dried. Will it be in a month or so, life as normal? Or can you build on Nadine’s honour, her kindness…

“If there’s any fitting response to your friend’s death, it is your life, a life lived better, a life that makes a difference, a life that’s honest and decent, a life that makes music for Nadine.”

Fr Murtagh read some of the lyrics to ‘Dance Monkey’ for Kya. Of course she’s still a little child and if a nation could have wrapped her in love, it did it’s best today as Ireland mourned together for a loss felt in every single family home.

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