Vigil to be held in Cork for young girl who died at Fountainstown

A vigil will be held this evening for the little girl who died at Fountainstown on Tuesday.

Today would have been Emili Roman’s eighth birthday, and hundreds of people are expected to attend a vigil for Emili in Crosshaven Square at 8pm tonight.

Emili had been swimming off Fountainstown beach on Tuesday afternoon when she found herself in difficulty around at 4.30pm.

A major search operation followed, with emergency services, assisted by local people, looking for the Crosshaven girl throughout the afternoon.

Emili’s body was recovered from the water around 7.45pm on Tuesday evening and brought to Cork University Hospital.

Emili was a pupil in second class at Templebreedy National School, and her loss has left a pall of grief and shock over the Fountainstown and Crosshaven areas.

Funeral arrangements have been confirmed by Emili’s heartbroken family, parents Martha and Slawomir and her older sister Inga and her twin brother Jeremy.

Emili will lie in repose at Forde’s Funeral home in Carrigaline from 5pm to 6pm on Friday, with Requiem Mass at 11.30am on Saturday in the Church of Our Lady and St John in Carrigaline and burial afterwards at St John’s Cemetery, Ballinrea.

Emili’s family has thanked all those who assisted in the search for their daughter, and they have asked for privacy as they grieve their loss.

A fundraiser to help Emili’s family pay for funeral expenses, and to ensure her funeral “is a heartfelt celebration of her beautiful life”, had, by Thursday morning, raised over €31,000.

Beata O’Sullivan, a family friend who organised the fundraiser on GoFundMe, said Emili “was taken from us while doing something she loved – swimming – and her loss has left an irreplaceable void in our lives”.

Ms O’Sullivan added: “We are grateful for your generosity, and we want to thank you … for your support during this profoundly challenging period in our lives. Emily’s memory will live on in our hearts”.

Bishop Paul Colton, who is the patron of Templebreedy National School, said the community was in shock at the news of Emili’s death.

“On behalf of us all in the Church of Ireland, in general, and in connection with Templebreedy National School and Templebreedy Parish, in particular, I too extend our sincere sympathy to everyone in the Roman family, to Emili’s mother, Marta, father Slawomir, twin brother Jeremy, and older sister Inga.” Bishop Colton said the tragedy had traumatised the small parish school and the wider community.

“Practical support and prayers are assured for everyone in the school community, for Emili’s family, her fellow students, the school principal, Doris Bryan, the teachers, staff, parents or guardians and members of the board of management,” he said.

“I extend sympathy to you all. I am also very conscious of the role played by the first responders, some of whom I know personally, and everyone in the rescue services, and I’m conscious of the impact a tragedy such as this has on each of them as individuals.”