THE TOWN of Ardara came to a standstill today as hundreds and hundreds of mourners from all over Co Donegal and further afield said ‘goodbye’ to brave local girl Martina Maguire.
The 16-year-old passed away at the weekend after losing her battle with cancer.
So many people turned up at her parents’ home Michael and Sarah for the wake at the weekend that a shuttle bus had to be used.
And today many hundreds more turned out for Martina’s funeral and Requiem Mass at the Church of the Holy Family.
A priest told mourners about a letter Martina had written at Christmas, including the incredible words “Live for today. Love for today. Laugh louder today than yesterday.”
Friends and family wept openly during a moving commemoration of the teenager whose short life touched so many.
Martina was diagnosed last year with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and was undergoing treatment at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.
People in Ardara had raised much-needed funds to help her during a number of special events late last year.
The brave youngster was a 5th year student at St. Columba’s Comprehensive School before she fell ill and even received the best Junior Cert results in her year.
