We pray for family of murderer Shane Clancy - dignified Nuala Creane

THE heartbroken family of the young man stabbed to death in the Bray murder-suicide  tragedy yesterday reached out to the relatives of his killer in an extraordinary gesture of compassion.


http://www.independent.ie/national-news/we-pray-for-family-of-our-sebs-killer-1868263.html?start=6

Family friend Fr Brendan McHale told mourners during Requiem Mass in Bray, Co Wicklow: "We pray for the Clancy family and for the darkness to be taken away from them and the light shine on their lives."



For 15 minutes Seb Creane's mother Nuala spoke of her devastation at, and the awful reality of, his death at the hands of Shane Clancy.



Nobody dared move as she eulogised her son Seb and recalled how he had died amid a presence of "demonic proportions".



She said the killing left everyone facing a choice. "Do we continue to live in darkness, seeing only fear, anger, bitterness, resentment, blaming, bemoaning our loss, always looking backwards, blaming, blaming, blaming?



"Or are we ready to transmute that negativity. We can rise to the challenge with unconditional love knowing we were born on Earth to grow."



Her son and his killer bore similarities; Seb Creane was 22, so was Shane Clancy. They shared the same initials and were in the last year of college.



But only Seb, she said, represented the light. Shane Clancy, she said, represented darkness.



When she was done, a lone mourner stood up inside Holy Redeemer Church in Bray and, with tears flowing down her cheeks, began clapping loudly.



It was a deeply poignant moment in a remarkable funeral service and it soon brought 600 people to their feet, moved by a mother trying to make sense of her loss.



Earlier, Mrs Creane had begun her eulogy by telling mourners: "We are faced with a grim reality today: burying my youngest son.



"Reality for me is the sum of all my experiences, my beliefs, my thoughts which I project out into this world and with which I create my story."



Seb Creane was the youngest of two boys, brought into the world by her and husband James, she said, because she did not want their son Dylan to be an only child.



With curly hair and brown eyes, Seb had 45 first cousins.



"What a bountiful table from which to sup," said his mother.



An avid photographer and a free spirit, Seb was a student at Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology.



His many young friends and classmates were in church yesterday and remembered his "contagious enthusiasm" and "willingness to enjoy life".



Mrs Creane said Seb's body was "back in its Moses basket". She added: "It's a little bit bigger than the one he began life's journey in but it serves the same purpose, a place to rest."



Everyone knew the terrible details of Sunday morning, August 16: Seb was fatally attacked by Clancy, Dylan was repeatedly stabbed trying to defend his younger brother and Jen, Seb's girlfriend who had gone out with Clancy, had been knifed in the murderous 4am assault. Dylan's girlfriend Laura Mackey fled the house and helped raise the alarm.



The horror only ended when Clancy, faced with the enormity of his deeds, killed himself in the back garden of the Creane's home in Cuala Grove, Bray.



Jennifer Hannigan walked into church yesterday, her arm in a sling. Seb's mother told how the young woman was wracked with guilt.



Prompting mourners to think of a happy moment in their lives, Mrs Creane urged them to focus on her son's girlfriend.



Mayhem



"She feels so responsible, she blames herself. Bathe her heart in that happiness. Let our happy thoughts wash those feelings out of her.



"Keep sending her your happiness and then forgive yourselves."



In an address rich in many religious and philosophical questions, Mrs Creane said: "I ask what is my God of little things saying to me about this incomprehensible act which took place in our home?



"This tragic incident which caused mayhem in all our lives robbed D of a younger brother he was so proud of. . . D, Seb, Jen and Laura faced a presence of demonic proportions manifested in Shane Clancy.



"Both boys who died were 22, both had the same initials, both were entering their final years in college and looked set, even in these recessionary times, to have fruitful careers. So many similarities.



"Yet on the morning of August 16 my God of little things said to me. . . one boy represented the light, the other the darkness as they played their parts in the unfolding of God's divine plan."



Seb Creane's favourite things were placed close to his simple wicker casket.



They included his treasured camera, a guitar, a computer games console and photographs including one of him sky-diving with his mother and skateboarding. "Though we're sickened, sad and sorrowful that Seb was with us for so short a time, we entrust Seb to you with confidence," said Fr McHale.



The service included specially composed music by musician Phil Coulter whose son Daragh was a friend of Seb's. 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters' and 'Something Inside So Strong' were sung by Tommy Fleming who closed the Mass with 'Steal Away'.



After Mass, a cortege bearing Seb Creane's remains set off for Ballina, Co Mayo, the homeplace of his parents.



There, up to 1,000 people crowded into St Muredach's Cathedral on the banks of the River Moy to hear prayers.



His remains were received by Fr Brendan Hoban and Fr Tony Hannick and afterwards, watched by his family and his girlfriend, he was buried in Leigue Cemetery.



- Ciaran Byrne