Joe and Anne O’Connell, the Irish parents of three who were killed in a road accident on June 14  in a car accident in Iowa, were buried at Killury Cemetery in County Kerry today.

The couple’s three children, Sarah (15), Colman (13) and Maeve (10), traveled to Ireland for the funeral.

Fr. Joe Mcloughlin, a cousin of Anne, led 14 other priests to celebrate the funeral Mass, and told mourners that Joe and Anne’s death had shocked the nation and that the two were taken in the prime of their lives.

Hundreds of mourners paid their last respects to the couple, who were heavily involved in the GAA. The family lived in Madison, Wisconsin for the past few years.  They moved to America eight years ago and were on their way to vacation on the West Coast when the accident happened.

Joe O’Connell (50) played hurling for Kerry for 14 years and won numerous club medals for Causeway, while Anne (nee Coleman) (44)  played camogie for Galway and won All Ireland Club medals with Cork club Glen Rovers.