The funeral mass for Paula Canty, a murdered mother-of-two who was found dead in her flat in Mallow, Co Cork earlier this month, has heard she was kind and likeable and had a creative flair which brought her solace.
Fr Robert Young told mourners at the requiem mass in St John the Baptist Church in Kinsale, that that no parent should have to suffer the loss of a child.
“To lose a son or daughter is a particular kind of grief. It is not the natural scheme of things that a son or daughter would die before their parent. It is certainly not the natural scheme of things that a parent would have to experience the murder of a son or daughter.
“It is heartbreaking to think about it and to see you carrying your pain. We want to acknowledge your grief your sadness your heartbreak.”
Fr Young said that it was a time for remembering all the special qualities Ms Canty had.
“She had a kind heart. She had good nature … she loved cooking. She was good at it. She was very artistic. She was gentle. She was likeable. She was courteous,” he added.
Fr Young also stated that he was offering his deepest sympathy to the families of the deceased on behalf of the entire parish of Kinsale.
The offertory gifts were brought to the altar by “two special people”, Paula’s children Alyisha and Aoibhe, as well as her siblings, her friends, her uncle, and her cousin – who also recited an offertory reflection at the closing of the mass.
Offertory symbols included Paula’s artwork, a cookbook as she enjoyed making nutritious and tasty meals, family photographs, a make-up set, a tracksuit, and flowers, which served as a reminder of her time as an aspiring florist,
Following the mass, Ms Canty was buried at St Patrick’s Cemetery in Nohoval.
The body of the 31-year-old – a native of Kinsale – was found in an upper storey flat in Bridewell Lane in Mallow on 3 January, just three days before she would have celebrated her 32nd birthday.
Joe Butler, 42, of the Belfry in Mallow, has been charged with her murder.
