The distraught Donegal mother of Shannon Gallagher,, who took her own life just weeks after her sister Erin did also, has stated she is ”devastated" and “numb.”
"Erin and Shannon were the lights of our lives. They were as close as any two sisters could be,” Lorraine Gallagher (36) stated.
"We are just devastated by what has happened and we just can’t say anymore. We are all just numb.
"We are lost for words to describe how beautiful they were and what they meant to us.
Read More: Tragedy as Donegal teenager found dead just months after her sister’s suicide
"We just cannot understand what has happened or why it has happened. There are no answers. We are just being asked for time to grieve and to give Shannon a proper burial.
"We are asking people, including the media, to respect our privacy and allow us time to bury Shannon with respect and dignity."
Meanwhile, the grandfather of Shannon Gallagher, the 15-year-old from Donegal who took her own life just two months after her little sister, has spoken out.
His teenage granddaughter was “missing her wee sister” and was “quite unhappy,” James Gallagher told the Irish Independent. When Erin died two months ago Shannon paid tribute to her little sister.
On Tuesday, around midnight, Shannon was found dead near her home in Ballybofey, County Donegal. Her little sister Erin committed suicide in October. Police are investigating claims that the 13-year-old was the victim of a campaign of cyber bullying before she was pushed to suicide.
James Gallagher, the sisters’ grandfather, said, “She was on Facebook to my son last night talking, saying she was quite unhappy.
“She found it quite hard that she was wrapping up presents. She said she was missing her wee sister.
“Whatever happened last night when she was wrapping the presents up for her mum and her wee brother and people.
Read More: Internet and Facebook bullying comes home to haunt Irish parents - Tragic deaths of two teenagers reveal scope of the problem
“Then she wrote on Facebook saying, 'This is the hardest thing I've had to do baby doll'. She called her wee sister baby doll.”
The Donegal Vocational Education Committee, who runs the Finn Valley College in Stranorlar, where both sisters went to school, said they were “trying to find the words and response to the tragedy”.
Chief executive Shaun Purcell said, “The school would still be in crisis mode.”
A spokeswoman for Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said he was "deeply shocked and saddened to learn of Shannon's death". A crisis incident team made up of two psychologists, guidance counsellors, Finn Valley principal Frank Dooley and other teaching staff met to discuss how to support students. Counsellors have been on site since Erin's death in October.
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Purcell said the pupils and staff are “going from hour to hour.”
Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) West released a statement which said, “The HSE extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased.
"The HSE is liaising with the family in relation to this incident and all supports are being made available to provide assistance at this difficult time."
The Mayor of Donegal, Councillor Frank McBrearty, has appealed for privacy for the Gallagher family as the community of Ballybofey attempts to comfort them.
A statement from the Council, reported in the Inishowen News, said, “The Mayor would like to ask that the relevant authorities be given the time and space to review the circumstances of this tragedy so as to allow them to respond in the most appropriate way. He is also asking that the wishes of the family for privacy at this very sad time be respected by all concerned.”
A funeral mass for Shannon will be held at St Mary's Stranorlar, at 11am on Saturday morning followed by burial in Castlefin cemetery.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.falconflash | Jan 09, 2013, 11:17 AM EST
Shameus: I never said it was the girls fault, the fault lies with people like you who don't raise their kids in The Faith. It certainly is a sin for Catholics not to raise their kids in the Church... You don't believe that sin can destroy body and soul but Jesus did.
hdtnybh | Dec 17, 2012, 11:12 AM EST
If you think Annie`s story is neat..., a month-ago my friend's cousin also made $4076 workin a 40 hours month from there apartment and the're neighbor's step-mother`s neighbour did this for 7-months and easily made more than $4076 part-time On there laptop. the guide available here, wow92.COM
hdtnybh | Dec 17, 2012, 11:09 AM EST
before I looked at the receipt which was of $9857, I have faith that...my... brothers friend woz trully making money part-time on-line.. there uncles cousin started doing this for less than 16 months and by now took care of the loans on their villa and purchased a great Jaguar E-type. read more at, wow92.COM
hdtnybh | Dec 17, 2012, 11:06 AM EST
my neighbor's step-mother makes $83/hour on the computer. She has been fired from work for 10 months but last month her pay check was $16398 just working on the computer for a few hours. Read more on this site wow92.COM
hdtnybh | Dec 17, 2012, 11:05 AM EST
what Annie responded I'm surprised that a mother able to make $9857 in 1 month on the internet. have you read this webpage wow92.COM
hdtnybh | Dec 17, 2012, 11:04 AM EST
what Annie responded I'm surprised that a mother able to make $9857 in 1 month on the internet. have you read this webpage wow92.COM
hdtnybh | Dec 17, 2012, 10:25 AM EST
until I looked at the check that said $9910, I didnt believe ...that...my cousin realie taking home money in there spare time online.. there friend brother started doing this for only fifteen months and just now paid the dept on their house and got a great Mazda MX-5. this is where I went, wow92.COM
seamus60 | Dec 15, 2012, 12:27 PM EST
Didn`t read anywhere either that the girls were not regular atenders at mass on Sundays. yet the confused will imply this as a possable cause for the tradegy.
seamus60 | Dec 15, 2012, 12:18 PM EST
Jetsnoone. Get real. You see the young girls as having committed evil acts. So god made us all individually, some with stronger components than others. and then sends some of the weaker to hell ?. Not that long ago the two poor girls would not have been afforded the mass or the burial ground. Then again not that long ago people with mental illness`s got the electrocution treatment whether it done them any good or not. Thank god someone eventually diagnosed alsiemers.
jetsnoone | Dec 15, 2012, 12:28 AM EST
No Shameus. I see the girls deaths as an evil tragedy...they have lost their lives and quite possibley their immortal souls. Poor, poor example to their little brother, no?
seamus60 | Dec 14, 2012, 07:28 PM EST
Rest in peace Erin and Shannon, together again. Jetsnoone give it a rest.
handsome68 | Dec 14, 2012, 06:37 PM EST
I'll proffer no easy answers, since I know of none. America is just now learning of a Connecticut shooting where 20 children and something like 7 adults have died. No doubt the anti-gun lobby will be shooting its own mouth off within the next few hours and days. But neither guns in the USA nor depression in Ireland and elsewhere, are the problem(s). Homophobia? Not that either. One answer is to be conscious of, and answerable to, God, however one considers God, and to trust in a benevolent Being who understands our human pain.and who loves us just as we are.
jetsnoone | Dec 14, 2012, 06:01 PM EST
Back when Irish and Irish-American parents attended Mass on a regular basis, good Catholic morality was passed on to the children...Now the liberal, no Mass parents have no sense of good vs. evil and do not pass on a simple thing like suicide is a mortal sin...readers here will tell you that the concept of sin is outdated. These two girls egaged in very evil actions but probably had no one to tell them so.
lcobryan | Dec 14, 2012, 05:44 PM EST
While it is true, the taking of one's own life leaves great pain and sorrow- that's not the important message to send. Everyone needs to know that things get better once they are free to express their pains and anxieties in a loving, nonjudgmental and nurturing environment. This is important for everyone, but particularly children. Kids are brutal and reflect what's the worse in society. Recipients of hate then internalize. Big love to them all. What a horrific waste of 2 beautiful lives.
mercy43 | Dec 14, 2012, 04:06 PM EST
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KatieMurphy | Dec 14, 2012, 03:32 PM EST
Whats missing here is any cause for the depression that causes suicide........... KIds in America - about 3000 a year of the 8000-9000 who commit suicide annually are known to be gay. Many of the others may have been gay. Other causes are eg they are called whores on public social media, cliques in school etc etc.............. Does anyone remember the Columbine killings of 1999? Many reasons were given for the killings, look up columbine on google-wiki I note that one of the epithets used against the killers were HOmophobic slander...........What could be worse for a couple boys? Surely additional ammunition for the mental breakdown that led them to the mass murder
WoundedKnee | Dec 14, 2012, 02:44 PM EST
merefalow: What you say is fine, but you omit reference to the most important players in a bullying case. The bullies--and their parents. What sanctions do parents of bullies face? Instead of dealing with the victims as the problem, we need to deal with the bullies as the problem. And their parents. Instead of calling on schools and teachers to fix this, we need to call the parents to account for what their offspring do.
nicgearailt | Dec 14, 2012, 12:00 PM EST
this is horrendous...hard to fathom this tragic mother..intense sadness going forward how does anyone survive this..? Ask the good Lord to lead her ,and pray,pray.. this feels like more than any individual can take I wish her peace ,somehow...
bunkerisland | Dec 14, 2012, 10:23 AM EST
Helen says it all. The girls no longer suffer and all those left behind struggle, many for a life time. And how will this younger brother cope? If only we could step back in time! We need to review how the community responded to the family after the first incident. Can we learn anything from this to more effectively prevent and intervene in the future?
Helen Ferone | Dec 14, 2012, 10:08 AM EST
If the children only knew the devestation they leave behind when they committ suicide they may think twice. How do we expect parents, grandparents, siblings, etc. to deal with something like this? Its so sad that this happens because there is so much help available if only they would ask.
merefalow | Dec 14, 2012, 09:32 AM EST
there are no words to comfort these little girls family,but maybe the schools and useless politicoes could put in place something effective to STOP the cruelty and bullying that exists ,not only with young people but where ever this ugly and cowardly evil rears its head.untill some one has experienced it first hand ,even when you are a tough strong person ,it is still hard to combat,muchless someone weak,or a child,some safeguard needs putting into place to alert the people,bosses,teachers,people in charge,of what is going on right beneath thier indiferent noses,this sort of thing is happening all the time.