Young children held teddy bears at the requiem Mass of a young girl who died in a swimming tragedy just two days before she would have celebrated her eighth birthday alongside her twin brother.
The family of Emili Roman, of Crosshaven, Co Cork, had asked their daughter's friends to bring soft toys to her requiem Mass at the Church of Our Lady and St John so they could be placed on her grave.
Emili's body was recovered from the water near the shore at about 7.30pm on Tuesday, three hours after a search was launched off Fountainstown Beach when she disappeared from sight having got into difficulty in the water.
Emili's parents, Martha and Slawomir, her older sister Inga, and twin Jeremy walked alongside her white coffin as it was wheeled to the top of the church on Saturday.
The picture on Emili's coffin was of her standing smiling by the sea, with her long, blonde hair blowing in the breeze.
Fr Aidan Cremen told mourners the people of Crosshaven, Fountainstown, Carrigaline and the surrounding areas were heartbroken by the loss of the vibrant and loving youngster.
He said Emili loved living in the “beautiful piece of paradise” by the sea that is Crosshaven.
“Emili enjoyed the benefits of living in Crosshaven, her loving parents giving her a fabulous lifestyle. We can’t find words to express how we feel.
“There must be some comfort that Emili was surrounded with love all her life. (She was) the centre of attention. All the buzz of family life and interactions with her brother and sister and devoted parents.”
'Happy, joyful, beautiful'
Fr Cremin said Emili was brought to the same church to be baptised nearly eight years ago.
“Even though you are sad and heartbroken today, everybody here has happy memories of Emili. A happy, joyful and contented child, sensitive and caring I am told, and appreciative of everything.
“The memories Emili has taken with her are happy, joyful, beautiful memories. That is how people remember her.”
Fr Cremen said the Roman family truly appreciated the assistance of the emergency services and the support of the community in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Pupils from Colaiste Muire Realt Na Mara in Crosshaven former a guard of honour outside the church as Emili's coffin was escorted in by her family and classmates from Templebreedy National School in Crosshaven.
Among the mourners were members of Gardaí, the National Ambulance Service, Fire service, the RNLI and the Coastguard.
Local TD’s, including Minister for Finance Michael McGrath and Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney, were also in the body of the church, alongside Canon Elaine Murray of the Carrigaline Union of the Church of Ireland.
Emili was laid to rest at St John's Cemetery in nearby Ballinrea, Co Cork.
Vigil
A candlelit vigil was held in Crosshaven on Thursday night in solidarity with the Roman family on what would have been Emili's eighth birthday, with her twin brother Jeremy handing out tea lights.
The crowd applauded emergency services for their efforts in searching for Emili.
Emili's name was also spelt with stones on the beach wall earlier this week, where locals laid flowers.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up by a family friend of the Roman's and has raised thousands of Euro to assist Emili's family with funeral costs.
Beata O’Sullivan, who set up the page, said Emili touched the lives of everyone she met with her “warm smile and boundless enthusiasm”.
“She was a ray of sunshine in our lives. Her laughter was infectious, and her kindness knew no bounds.”
