Funerals have taken place in Co Westmeath for a couple who died in a car crash in Spain last month. Mark McCullagh-Crichton and Michaela Newcombe were remembered at two separate services at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Mullingar on Thursday. Mr McCullagh-Crichton's brother Ian, who was injured in the same crash, attended his brother's funeral.
Funeral Tributes
At Mr McCullagh-Crichton's funeral, celebrant priest Fr Kevin Kiernan described Ms Newcombe as "the love of his life." He said the manner of their deaths had "shaken" his family and communities across Ireland. "Mark had a great love for his family, but also his girlfriend Michaela, who was the love of his life," Fr Kiernan told mourners. "Although it was short-lived, they lived it to the full. Well, you only have to look at Snapchat – every story was about Michaela and dedicated to 'the most beautiful girl in Mullingar.'"
Crash Details
Authorities reported that two vehicles collided on the A7 motorway near Malaga in the early hours of June 28. One vehicle then fell down an embankment, killing Michaela Newcombe, Mark McCullagh-Crichton, and his sister-in-law Amy McCullagh. Ian McCullagh, Amy's husband, was injured in the crash and attended his brother's funeral after being discharged from hospital.
Mourning in Mullingar
At Ms Newcombe's funeral, Fr Phil Gaffney said the 23-year-old had a "rare, radiant gift of lighting up every room she entered." He added: "The loss of Michaela, Mark and Amy has enveloped the town of Mullingar in a grief that words cannot fully measure." Symbols of her life were presented at the ceremony, including a family photo, teddy bear, mobile phone, hair straighteners, makeup bag, and her favourite coat.
Family Statements
At the end of Mr McCullagh-Crichton's funeral, a statement from the McCullagh-Crichton family thanked emergency services in Spain, hospital staff, and expressed deep sympathy to the families of Michaela and Amy. "May they find the strength to navigate through this unimaginable time in the weeks that follow," the statement read.
Fr Gaffney noted that Ms Newcombe moved in with her grandparents at age three, and "her world truly revolved around them." He said she moved to Spain for work but returned to Ireland because she was "too much of a home bird." Describing her relationship with Mr McCullagh-Crichton, he said: "When she brought Mark home for the first time to meet her Nanny and Grandad, they knew this guy must be something special. They truly cherished the time they spent together, and he treated her like a princess."
