'Our sleeping beauty': Scarlett Faulkner’s family tell funeral mass 'we will get justice'

David Raleigh

The family of Scarlett Faulkner, who died after being allegedly bludgeoned with an iron bar on the side of a roadway over three weeks ago, pledged at her funeral that she would get the justice she deserved.

29-year-old Scarlett died last Monday after her life support was turned off at Cork University Hospital, three weeks after she was allegedly attacked outside Birdhill village, north Co Tipperary.

Victoria Faulkner received applause from mourners when she told her late sister’s funeral mass, held at St Munchin’s Church, Limerick City: “We promise you, sister, we will get the justice you deserve.”

“You were Daddy’s girl and Mommy’s world, we will love you forever, our sleeping beauty, from your ten sisters and five brothers, and most importantly, you’re beautiful daughter Oceanna, who you loved dearly, the same way she loved you,” said Victoria Faulkner.

“You have left a big hole in each and everyone of our hearts, but you also touched the hearts of many others in this world,” she said.

“You were a good mother, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, friend to us all. You have left us with a beautiful little girl, ‘Oceanna’ - a gift from god, who reminds us of you so much.”

Victoria Faulkner told her sister: “You gave your little girl with all your heart, you gave her everything that a mother could give and do for her, and we promise to show her all the pictures of you and her making fond memories together.”

“I’ll cherish every memory we ever shared together. You were a character; you always made us laugh, we will miss your beautiful smile and loving personality.”

“You never left us for a minute without telling each and every one of us ‘I love you’, and ending every text message with ‘I love you loads, daddy, mommy, sister, brother’; The love you showed us we will never forget,” Ms Faulkner said.

Prior to the funeral mass, and speaking on behalf of her father, Victoria Faulkner had asked mourners to be peaceful and not consume alcohol.

“My father asked me to pass on a message, that if anyone is fighting, any crowds that is coming to the funeral and are not getting on with each other, can ye please just pass each other for the sake of Scarlett and the day that’s in it,” said Ms Faulkner.

“We have had the hardest three weeks of our lives, we are suffering...drink cannot be allowed near any of the funeral or wakes; please, we don’t want any trouble, no trouble at all at all”.

Canon Donal McNamara, St Munchin’s parish, encouraged those gathered at Friday’s funeral mass to focus their energies on “forgiveness”.

“Forgiveness does not mean denying pain or excusing wrongdoing. Forgiveness is a journey, a long difficult, challenging path that leads away from being consumed by anger and towards the freedom that god desires for each one of you,” said Fr McNamara.

“In moments like this, families can be torn apart or slowly healed. The choice is not easy.”

“But, if you allow the path to (peace) to work within you, even the deepest wounds can be healed, little by little,” he said.

Fr McNamara also encouraged Scarlett’s family to focus their attention on her six-year-old daughter, Oceanna.

“The greatest gift remains Scarlett’s daughter, Oceanna, and their bond is not ended in death, rather it is changed,” Fr McNamara, who was assisted by Fr Pat Hogan.

The Faulkner family decorated the exterior and interior of the church with floral tributes and heart-shaped images of Faulkner in happier times with them.

A lilac casket carrying Ms Faulkner’s remains were brought to the church in a glass carriage drawn by four white horses with pennants of  Faulkner’s image draped across the horses, provided by John O’Grady carriage hire, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare.

Afterwards, Celine Dion’s 1996 hit song “Because You Loved Me” was played on a speaker, as Ms Faulkner’s casket was shouldered out of the church and laid onto the rear of a flat bed lorry and driven away surrounded by her loved ones.

She was later laid to rest at her family plot at Meelick Cemetery, Meelick, south east Clare.

Two people are before the courts charged in connection with the alleged attack on Faulkner.

They include a 16-year old girl who is accused of assault causing serious harm to Ms Faulkner, by allegedly striking her on her head at least eleven times with an iron bar; and a 40-year old woman who is charged with endangerment and violent disorder.

The two accused, who cannot be named because reporting restrictions have been imposed in the case, are due to appear on remand in court again on April 23rd.

A post-mortem examination was conducted on Ms Faulkner’s remains earlier this week, but gardaí did not release the autopsy results.

Garda investigations into Ms Faulkner’s alleged assault and subsequent death are continuing.