'Our hearts are broken' Family of Jason and Scarlett Faulkner plunged into 'unimaginable' grief

David Raleigh

Broken-hearted Limerick man, Jason Faulkner, was laid to rest on Friday, a week on from his sister Scarlett’s funeral, after she died from injuries sustained in an alleged iron-bar attack.

Jason Faulkner, (30s), was heartbroken with grief following his sister’s death, heard his funeral mass, held at St Munchin’s Church, Limerick.

Led by a sulky, Mr Faulkner’s remains were brought to the church, rested in a gold coloured casket inside a glass carriage, driven by four white horses.

The same carriage had brought his sister Scarlett’s remains to the same church a week beforehand.

A white hummer carrying family members followed the carriage, to the sounds of “I will always love you”.

Chief mourners shouldered Mr Faulkner’s casket into the church, along a blue carpet and past large heart-shaped photographs of him in happier times with loved ones.

Relatives and friends wore blue t-shirts with images of Mr Faulkner on the front and back, as US country music songs played in the background on a speaker.

Reading a loving tribute to her brother, Victoria Faulkner said: “Jason, you have left a big hole in each and everyone of our hearts, you also touched many hearts of others in this world.”

“You were a good son, a brother, uncle, brother-in-law, nephew, cousin and a friend to us all, and we will miss your beautiful smile,” she said.

Victoria Faulkner said her brothers “had a heart of gold” and that she would “cherish every memory we ever shared together”.

“You were a character, you always made us laugh, you were always up for a laugh,” she continued.

Ms Faulkner said her family believed that her late brother was in a place where he could “protect our beautiful sister Scarlett”.

“You are missed so much, you had a heart like no other. Jason, brother, everyone loved you, and we will miss you, I just want you to know we all loved you dearly; you were the light in our home.”

“Our hearts are broken, you were Daddy’s boy and Mommy’s world.”

Ms Faulkner asked that “anyone that is not getting on and here today, can ye just pass each other please and have respect for this family, we are going through enough; please pass each other on, we don’t want any trouble”.

Canon Donal McNamara, PP St Munchin’s Church, told mourners: “In the space of just a few days, the Faulkner family have endured the unbearable — the loss of a daughter, through violence, and now the loss of a son, through tragedy.”

“Without doubt, it feels too much, too heavy and too unjust. The first thing that must be said is there are no easy answers here,” said Fr McNamara.

He thanked people for attending the funeral mass to support the Faulkner family “in their hour of need”.

Speaking to the Faulkner family, Fr McNamara said: “It is unimaginable to think we gather here today again a week since Scarlett’s funeral, you are mourning greatly, so greatly.”

Fr McNamara said Jason Faulkner “was moved deeply by the loss of his younger sister Scarlett, a loss that no heart could easily bear”.

“We cannot ignore the closeness of these two tragedies; the weight of grief can be overwhelming, and sometimes it carries people into dark places and confusion,” said Fr McNamara.

The Limerick priest said he hoped Jason and Scarlett “are not lost to each other”.

Fr McNamara told Jason and Scarlett’s parents, Mary and Banny Faulkner: “Your grief is beyond what most can comprehend, there are no words that can fix this, but you must remember that you are not alone.

"You are surrounded by the community that mourns with you, that remembers you in prayer, and that walks with you in the days ahead, when the silence may seem even heavier and more difficult to bear.”

“Your love has been changed and wounded, but it remains, and may Jason and Scarlett now Rest In Peace,” he concluded.

Another sister of Jason and Scarlett’s sang a love song to her two late siblings on the altar, and said: “Love you Jason and Scarlett, you were the heart and soul of our beautiful family.”

Gifts symbolising Mr Faulkner’s life were shown on a collage of photos, placed on a billboard outside the church, including pictures of a Hugo Boss belt and aftershave, a Smirnoff vodka bottle, designer clothing and shoes, a cigarette box, a mobile phone and gold jewelry.

Afterwards, Mr Faulkner was laid to rest in the sunshine of Meelick Cemetery, in the south-east county Clare.