Mourners at the funeral of one of three family members who died in a suspected murder-suicide shooting at their Co Cork home have heard his future was supposed to be “full of possibilities”.
The funeral mass of Mark O’Sullivan, 26, was held at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Kanturk on Saturday afternoon, following a decision to hold a separate funeral for his father Tadg and brother Diarmuid.
The funeral service of Tadg, 59, and Diarmuid, 23, took place on Friday afternoon at St Mary’s Church in Castlemagner followed by their burial at St Brigid’s Cemetery.
The three men died on Monday at their family home at Assolas near Kanturk over what is understood to be a tragedy caused by a dispute over an inheritance.
Father Toby Bluitt, the parish priest of Kanturk, told mourners gathered at the Church of the Immaculate Conception that grief is never an easy burden to bear – and never more so than when it comes in such “an untimely, shocking and tragic way”.
“We gather in such grief today, carrying a burden that not only seems to be, but in fact is overwhelming,” he said.
“We gather to comfort and support each other in our common loss. We gather to make sense of the senseless.”
Fr Bluitt told the congregation he was reiterating many of the words he had said at the funerals of Mark’s brother and father on Friday because the “reality of this heart-breaking loss” had not changed.
“The shock, the numbness, the devastation, was impossible to imagine and the unfolding news of the loss of three lives was incomprehensible,” he said.
The priest added: “Just like all of you, I too am struggling to make sense of this life changing tragedy.”
Mourners heard Mark had attended school in Ballyhass and Kanturk like his younger brother Diarmuid and also socialised in Castlemagner.
“He studied law at the University of Limerick (UL), graduating in 2017,” Fr Bluitt said.
“He was a trainee solicitor preparing to complete his final exams. UL paid tribute to him this week and underlined the shock felt within the UL community where Mark was highly thought of.”
Fr Bluitt also said that life was “full of possibilities” for Mark.
“One could also say that Mark touched many people’s lives along the way as he journeyed through life,” he added.
“His life and death have changed you all and you will never be the same again.
“So today, gathered together in our grief, we do not minimise the loss of these three lives by trying to provide easy answers.
“Because there are no answers.”
A friend of Mark’s described him as “the greatest son a mother could have”.
In a letter read out on behalf of friend Sharmila Rahman, who studied with the 26-year-old, she said the bond between Mark and his mother Anne was “unbreakable”.
“Mark had such a big heart and so much love to give,” she said. “As a friend I know that but I can’t begin to imagine how much effort and love he put into being Anne’s son.”
She said she first met mark when they studied law at University of Limerick and that from then on she was “drawn” to him because of his “kindness, sense of humour and ability to make you feel at home”.
Ms Rahman described him as “careful and selfless”, so much so that he earned the nickname “Mother Mark”.
Mourners heard: “I struggle to put into words how strong our friendship was and just how amazing Mark was as a person. Saying he was amazing seems like an injustice to who he really was. He was charming, funny, caring, kind, selfless, hardworking, honest, intelligent but also so much more.
“Words can’t describe Mark for who he was. There are no words to describe a person like him. “But anyone who knew him knows that they were blessed to have him put in their lives and how incredible he was.
“Mark you’re my best friend forever I love you.”
Mark O’Sullivan was discovered in the family home, while Diarmuid was found dead alongside his father Tadg, in a field 500 metres away from the family home.
All three had suffered gunshot wounds.
A detailed 12-page note was found on the body of Diarmuid, which gardai are examining for further evidence.
Gardai have indicated they are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.
They were alerted to the incident at around 6.30am on Monday after Tadg’s wife, and the mother of the two men, Anne raised the alarm that firearms may have been discharged at her home.
