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The funeral of Jamey Carney has taken place in Killarney this afternoon.Â
Mourners packed into St Mary’s Cathedral, joining Ms Carney’s family in saying their goodbyes to the mother of one.
The US citizen was found dead in her Killarney home last week after suffering a violent attack which sparked a murder investigation.
The chief suspect in the case, Ms Carney’s boyfriend, has been detained by authorities in his native country of Jordan having fled Killarney before her body was discovered last Tuesday afternoon.
Jamey’s funeral Mass heard that she was a “ray of sunshine” in the lives of her family and friends.
Mourners heard that sadness had fallen on Killarney last week, but that it was important to dwell not on her death, but on her life.
“Jamey was your sunshine,” the homily heard, with the mother of one described as “bright, cheerful, full of life, and selfless.”
“Joy radiated from her,” her loved ones were told by the priest celebrating the Mass, Fr Kieran O’Brien.
“She was adventurous and determined, but her real love in life was Michaela [her 13-year-old daughter],” the Mass heard.
Mourners were told how five years ago Jamey “made the best decision of her life” to move from New York to Killarney, driven by her love for her Irish roots.
The priest said that sunflowers were Jamey’s favourite flower, and they represented her as “a flower that grows to be tall, colourful bright and beautiful.”
“Small things were big things to Jamey,” said the priest, who added that her friends in Killarney were more like sisters than friends.
Family and friends of the late Ms Carney brought forward symbols of her life during the Mass.
The first symbol was a photo of her teenage daughter Michaela, who was described as “the love of her life,” with the framed photo placed on a table beside Jamey’s coffin.
A picture of her pet dog Penny was offered next, a symbol of her love for animals.
A cowboy hat was also placed on the table to symbolise her love of music from an early age. She would wear the hat to attend many concerts, mourners were told.
Jamey and Michaela’s passports were also brought to the altar to show their mutual love of travelling and seeing the world.
“May [Jamey’s passport] bring her home to God,” remarked Fr O’Brien.
Sunflowers also featured in the offertory, as did as statue of an angel, as to those who loved her, Jamey was “their angel.”
Ms Carney and her closest friends in Killarney shared a mutual love of coffee, shopping and lunch appointments – whilst the New Yorker loved holidaying and seeing the world.
Her daughter Michaela had settled into primary school, and later, into secondary school, in Killarney and had gotten involved in the GAA.
Players from the local GAA club, Dr. Croke’s, formed a guard of honour outside the cathedral.
Their family back in the US were happy that Jamey and Michaela had found a home in Ireland.
Jamey was also remembered as an animal lover, who treated her dog, Penny, like a child.
Her family were told about how both Jamey and Michaela were deeply loved and respected in Killarney, with the community rallying around the grieving family, from locals to people on holidays.
Tributes, the Mass heard, had poured in from all over the country, as the priest asked Killarney for its continued support going forward, particularly fot Jamey’s daughter Michaela, mother Cathy, and sister, Devon, who are experiencing “their darkest hour.”
“Our greatest hope is that Jamey is now at peace,” the funeral heard, before her body was brought for a private cremation.
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